Fight For New York
by anime-queen46
Summary: SEQUEL TO MIKEY'S NEW FRIEND. After suffering a major defeat from the Krang, the turtles and their friends recover at April's Farm house. When they return to fight back for their home they discover something that will forever change their lives. On top of everything else The bros start to get nervous when they see team M&M getting more comfortable around each other.
1. Chapter 1

I am so so so sorry for everyone who has been waiting for this. For those who are new to this story, this is a sequel to my other story Mikey's New Friend. I recommend reading that before this story or it might a bit confusing. Anyway on to the story!

* * *

The light cautious tread of footsteps and scared, quiet whimpers were the only sounds heard in the darkness of the sewers. A group of frightened humans travelled as quietly as they could through the sewers trying to hide from the monsters that had invaded their city. Arnold Jones held his daughter protectively in one arm while he held his cell phone in the other using it like a flashlight. The sound of painful groans made the group of humans stop dead in their tracks.

"What the hell was that?" a woman asked in fearful tone.

"There is something near the water," another man answered.

Arnold noticed the shadow before another painful moan echoed in the sewers. He looked away for a moment to hand his daughter to the woman before he cautiously made his way over to the injured form.

"Hey…you okay?" Arnold asked cautiously as he slowly brought his phone to shine on the dark form.

The young father gasped in shock along with the others to see that the injured form was a giant mutant rat holding his injured side. Arnold looked into the creature's eyes and saw that he looked terrified.

"P-please…help me," the rat begged.

Arnold stood like a deer caught in the headlights for a moment before he asked, "What the hell are ya?"

"I was once a man before I was exposed to mutagen," the rat explained.

The human looked at the rat nervously before turning to the group of humans he had come in with looking lost on what to do. While the adults all shook their heads in fear, the three children in the group all looked at each other before the oldest girl spoke up.

"Daddy…you're gonna help him, right?" the little girl with purple highlights asked.

Arnold looked over at his daughter before she said, "He's hurt daddy. We need to help him."

The man smiled before he replied, "Ya Angel. Don't worry baby, I'm gonna help him."

"Are you insane? He's one of those things!" a man cried in disbelief.

"We can't just leave him here like this. Those things probably hurt him to," Arnold argued.

"Please…I am no threat to you…I can take you somewhere safe," the rat said before hissing in pain as he sat up.

That seemed to make the adults in the group reconsider their choice a bit but they still looked very nervous. These people had already lost their homes and families because they were attacked by strange creatures and now they were being asked to trust another strange creature.

Arnold looked at his group before he looked at the rat nervously. The human took a deep breath before he said in a firm voice, "I don't mind helpin' ya pal, I really don't but we got a group of scared people trying to protect what they have left. So, you gotta swear to us right now that you ain't a threat."

The rat rolled his body so that he was facing the group of humans before he said, "I swear on the lives of my children and on the memory of my wife that I will not harm you, your daughter, or your clan."

Arnold looked at the group to see that they looked more comfortable with the idea before turning his attention to the rat. He nodded his head before he carefully made his way closer to the mutant.

"Good enough for me," Arnold said as he wrapped one of the rat's arms around his shoulder and half carried him up towards the group.

"Thank you," the rat said and by the look in his eyes the human could tell he was sincere.

The human smiled at the newest member of the group before he replied, "No sweat Pal...by the way I'm Arnold Jones but my friends call me Arnie."

The rat returned his smile before he said, "I am Splinter."

…

It had been a difficult three months for the Hamato clan. After arriving at the farm house that belonged to April's family, everyone had gone in separate directions.

An unconscious Leonardo had been placed in a bathtub of water to keep him hydrated so that he could heal properly. Raphael had not stopped watching over his older brother and stayed by his side as Leo's own personal body guard. He was often in deep thought about how he and his brothers were going to move on from this. He held onto hope that Leo would pull through and that they would go back to New York to find their father alive. However, part of him thought that perhaps he was asking for too much.

Donny built himself a laboratory in the barn where he could focus on making a retro mutagen to save the people of New York. The tech savvy turtle threw himself into his work to distract himself not only from the nightmare their lives had become but also the heartache he felt after being rejected by April. He knew her returning his feelings was a long shot but at the same time it was painful to know that she was the likely the beginning of a lifetime of rejection because of what he was.

Mikey had not stopped feeling guilty about leaving his oldest brother behind and blamed himself for Leo's condition. The youngest turtle vowed that he would take care of his brothers and sister in his own way by taking on the responsibility of cooking as well as doing all the chores around the house. He tried constantly to get his siblings and his friends to try and to do something together but they would push him away. The orange masked turtle couldn't help feeling like this was his punishment for abandoning Leo.

Miwa was taking their situation especially hard. The teen constantly felt consumed with rage as she worried about her brothers and her father. She had been there to witness her father being thrown into the water and yet her instincts told her that he was alive. It was not knowing that was the most difficult for her to handle. When the girl wasn't training herself past her breaking point, she was using what little Splinter had taught her to use mediation to try and find her father.

Isla and Maya took turns using their blood to help Donatello with the retro mutagen as well as using it to heal Leonardo. Both mermaids were pushing their limits in hopes of bringing the oldest turtle back to them. When Maya wasn't healing, she was helping Mikey with the chores and doing her best to support her beloved. She knew that her mate blamed himself for what happened and did everything in her power to get him to see it differently. Isla focused her attention on doing what she did best, being a mother. She made it her personal mission to care of all the teens along with her fifteen-month-old son. She took over where Splinter left off leading sparing sessions forcing the teens to come together to train. Isla was also very strict on having family time after dinner. It was a time for their strange little family to enjoy each other's company usually involving games while watching whatever show they could get on the antenna.

April, Casey, and Irma could only watch as their friends struggled to deal with what happened to them all the while trying to deal with it themselves. April found peace in writing in her journal and helping Isla with the baby while Casey used mechanical therapy. The teen had found an old truck in the barn and decided to fix it up. Although a good distraction it was an excuse for Casey to cut himself off from everyone else to suffer from his grief alone.

Irma had kept herself busy helping Donny in his lab. On top of being a hacker extraordinaire she was a bit of a science buff and offered to be the turtle's assistant to distract herself from everything that had happened. Her and Donny had quickly gotten comfortable around each other and had become quite the tag team in the lab.

Kirby had put a small portable safe in the van before he was mutated that contained $2,000. The clan worked together to make the money last as long they could. Having a wood stove and a generator went a long way. Isla and Maya did a lot of fishing to provide food but they needed to use the money to buy food they couldn't get on the farm and toiletries.

Isla was checking over the supplies at the kitchen table when April walked in. The red head noticed the mermaid looking worried.

"Everything okay?" April asked concerned.

Isla sighed before she replied, "This one is fine but she can't help wondering how much longer our funds will last us."

April nodded her head in understanding before she said, "Well Irma, Casey and I were talking and we all agreed that if we need to we can all get jobs in town."

"That would be too risky… For now, we must be very careful with our portions," Isla explained.

When the mermaid looked up to see the worried face of April she sighed and offered the teen a comforting smile.

"Do not be troubled April. We are surrounded by resources that can sustain us for several months if need be. Maya and I can teach you all how to survive on what the woods can provide us," Isla assured the girl.

Before April could say anything, Mikey came into the room completely oblivious to the conversation that had taken place.

"Good news! The chickens laid eggs," the orange masked turtle announced happily carrying a bucket of fresh eggs.

Isla smiled before she replied, "That is good news. You can put the eggs in the fridge for now and then I need you to fetch everyone for training."

"You got it boss lady," the turtle replied before he quickly got to work.

April still felt a little worried about their situation but pushed it to the back of her mind for the time being. The girl had learned from this situation that they needed to deal with problems one day at a time.

"I'll go get my tessen and meet you guys outside," April said before leaving the room.

…

Raph stretched in his chair beside his brother. The red masked turtle had once again slept in the bathroom instead of his bed to stay close to his brother. Since they had arrived Raph couldn't stop thinking about how Maya lost her brother Bo. He couldn't stop thinking about how terrified Dylan was at the idea of taking over to protect and lead their pod.

"Leo I need you to wake up man…I can't lead them like you can" Raph pleaded to his big brother.

It was no surprise when Leo's response was to continue to lay asleep while his body healed in the bathwater. A light knock on the door caught Raph's attention. The turtle couldn't help the smile on his face as he watched Maya hold Caspian's hands as he took unsteady steps. The baby's face instantly lit up the moment he saw Raph.

"RAAAAAAA!" the child cried excitedly.

"Hello to you to squirt," Raph chuckled as he stood up and picked up the baby.

"Caspian wished to sit with you while this one tends to Leonardo…he is worried for you," Maya said before she began to hum a beautiful melody. She then cut open her hand and started pouring her blood into Leo's mouth.

Raph turned his attention to Caspain and hugged the child while ruffling the baby's soft hair before he whispered, "Thanks kid."

 _'This one want Raph happy'_ Caspian replied before he wrapped his tiny arms around Raph's neck. Suddenly the distinct sound of sucking could be heard as the child cuddled into the turtle's neck.

"You got a real distinct Mikey way of cheering people up squirt," Raph said trying to sound annoyed by the baby sucking on his mask tails _again_ but failed miserably.

Maya couldn't help the chuckle that escaped her as she continued to check Leonardo over. She could see that his wounds had all healed but the blood could not stop the wounds from becoming scars.

"How's he doin'?" Raph asked nervously as he watched her work.

Maya finished her checkup before she looked at Raph and said, "his body is mostly healed. He did sustain permanent damage to his vocal cords that the blood cannot heal and his ankle is still healing but there are no other internal injuries."

The red masked turtle gave a her a strange look before he asked, "how can you possibly know all that?"

Maya smiled at her friend before she explained, "The blood speaks to this one. It helps direct where the healing is needed most and this one sends it there."

Raph nodded his head before he suddenly became very quiet. He looked as though he was trying to hold back his emotions before he asked, "He's gonna wake up soon, right?"

The mermaid quickly walked over to the red masked turtle before she wrapped her arms around his middle. Raph quickly returned the hug and rested his head on her shoulder as he body began to shake with fear.

Since they had arrived Raph had dropped his walls almost entirely around the mermaids. He knew that they could understand his fear better than anyone. He refused to be weak in front of his clan when they needed him the most to stand strong. However, his mask didn't work on Maya or Isla though and he knew it.

Normally Raph went to his father when he felt afraid, Splinter's presence always brought the red masked turtle peace. Without his father's guidance Raph constantly felt angry, scared and lost. He wasn't sure when he first started going to Isla and Maya but he found them incredibly helpful. They never tried to comfort him or tell him pretty words to ease his pain. They would simply sit there with him and hum while he got out his emotions.

"This one is sorry Raphael. The blood can heal his body but it cannot force him to wake," Maya explained with tears in her eyes as she felt Raph's heartache.

"I need him to wake up," Raph replied.

Maya pulled away from Raph's hug to place her hands gently on the sides of the turtle's face before she said, "Have faith pod brother. Leo just needs a little longer to gather his strength before he returns to us."

"Patience ain't my strong suit," the turtle joked with a smirk as he pulled away still holding Caspian.

"Even you can have your moments," Maya teased as she watched Raph stand the baby on his feet and take his hands to help him walk.

Raph smirked at her just as the door swung open again to reveal Michelangelo looking really amused before he said, "You guys better hurry up for training. Casey and Donny have already started making idiots of themselves to impress April."

"Beloved, what did you do?" the mermaid asked knowingly.

Mikey smiled before he replied, "Stood behind them waving like crazy till I got April's attention and made her smile. Next thing you know Casey and Donny are fighting over which one of them April was smiling at."

Raph started laughing as he pictured his friend and his brother fighting each other over nothing before he said, "Alright let's get this over with."

Team M&M watched as Raph picked up baby Cass and took him downstairs to train before Mikey turned worried eyes on Maya.

"I'm worried about him…I'm worried about all of them," Mikey asked nodding his head towards.

Maya squeezed the turtle's hand before she replied, "We will get through this beloved, I promise. You will all be alright once you are whole again."

The orange masked turtle gave his mate a smile before he brought her hand up to his mouth and kissed it sweetly.

"Come, let us go train and see what mess you've started between Donny and Casey," Maya said before leading her mate outside.

…

It was the end of the day and everyone was tired from training. Raph had finished sitting through an episode of the new show Mikey and Maya were obsessed with. The red masked turtle decided he'd better go check on Leo before going to sleep for the night.

Raph walked into the bathroom to see that nothing had changed since he left for training. Leo was still unconscious and Raph still felt useless. Raph sat down in the chair before resting his arms on the rim of the tub and laying his head down on them.

"Leo…if you can hear me bro you need to wake up. We…I can't do this without you…I miss you," Raph said.

The red masked turtle put his hand in the water and gently squeezed Leo's. Raph's head suddenly shot up though when he felt Leo squeezing back.

"Leo…"

The oldest turtle squeezed again before he started mumbling and his eyes could be seen moving back and forth underneath his eyelids.

"Come on bro follow my voice. Come back to us," Raph said encouraging his brother.

After what felt like hours, Leo slowly started to open his eyes until they were half way open. It took a couple of blinks before the older turtle could see his little brother without it being fuzzy.

"Raph?" Leo asked as he started to feel more awake.

The red masked turtle could only nod his head before he finally said, "Ya I'm here bro. I'm here."

Leo watched as his little brother screamed for the others to come upstairs before instantly turning his attention back to Leo. The older turtle could see his brother shaking with fear and relief in his eyes.

Wanting nothing more than to comfort the younger turtle, Leo reached up until his hand was grasping the back of Raph's neck forcing the green-eyed turtle to look at him.

"It's okay Raph. I'm gonna be okay," he whispered gently.

Raph looked like he was ready to burst into tears but instead chuckled before he replied, "Ya I know you're gonna be okay Leo. We're gonna fix you up good as new and then I'm gonna pound you for scaring the crap out of us!"

Leo couldn't help laughing as he heard Raph starting to sound like his old self again. Little did he know though that after that moment he would learn that many things changed while he was in his comma.

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Alright that's all for now! I'll update as often as I can, don't forget to review the lady!


	2. Chapter 2

Hey everyone so sorry for the delay I've been super busy between stories and life. CURSE YOU LIFE *angrily shakes fist at life* Anyway moving on, I'd like to thank XxWolfLord95xX for the honor of allowing me to use her character in my story. Enough talk from the author, on with the chapter!

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Leo was stunned as he sat and listened to his brothers. He couldn't believe what he was hearing from them. Their father was missing, presumably, dead and New York had been taken over by the Krang.

 _'How did everything get so messed up so fast?'_ Leo thought horrified.

His mind was going a mile a minute as he tried to think of what to do next. With his father gone that meant he was solely responsible for the lives of his brothers. It was going to be him that had to make the tuff choices and take the risks to protect their clan.

To make matters worse the oldest of the brothers was a broken turtle. Isla and Maya may have been able to heal him physically but his spirit was broken. After being defeated by the Shredder, Leo didn't know how he could be considered fit to lead.

"Leo, you okay bro?" Raph asked concerned.

The blue masked turtle shook his head before he replied, "I think I'm gonna be sick."

Everyone sympathized with the oldest turtle. After all they had felt the same way on the road coming to the farm house. Once everything had sunk in everyone had gone to a dark place.

"Does this one need to get you a nausea tonic?" Maya asked innocently.

Leo promptly shook his head with a grossed out look on his face as he tried desperately to think of a polite way to decline Maya's mermaid medicine.

Mikey couldn't help chuckling before he said, "He said he _thinks_ he's gonna be sick May…he doesn't want to _actually_ throw up."

Leave it to Mikey to get Leo to crack a smile, even while he was at his lowest point to date. The blue masked turtle watched the room instantly lighten up as everyone broke out into chuckles. As he did he noticed that out of all his brothers, Mikey was especially not himself. Ever since Leo had woken up, the youngest turtle had barely looked him in the eye let alone come near him. Leo instantly knew damn well something was bothering Mikey and his instincts told him that he had something to do with it.

Needless to say, seeing baby brother keeping this problem to himself did not bode well with big brother at all. Broken or not, Leo was the oldest and he would see to it that _all_ his family was alright after this mess was cleaned up.

"Well I think it's bed time," Raph said before turning to Leo.

"Tomorrow you and I are gonna start training again. We'll get you back to your old self in no time," the red masked turtle said.

Leo smiled at his little brother appreciatively before Raph helped him up to his feet. The mention of training sounded good to the leader.

"Here," Donny said handing him a bottle with green liquid in it.

Leo gave it an odd look before he asked, "What the hell is it?"

"It's a special mixture of mutagen that Irma and I developed. It will help heal you the rest of the way," Donny explained.

Leo took a dose of the concoction before he started coughing violently. After he recovered, Leo looked up at Donny while cringing and said, "This tastes like it should be coming out of me…not in me."

Isla looked over at Leo sympathetically before she said, "We are most willing to help heal Leonardo the rest of the way."

The purple masked turtle smiled before he said, "I know and you guys are both amazing to offer but you need a break. Neither one of you has gone a day without using your blood to bring Leo back for the past three months. Both of you are beyond exhausted and it's not fair to keep asking you for blood. As the family doctor, I'm putting my foot down on this one."

Maya and Isla were both about to say something before Irma stopped them by shaking her head.

"Don't bother trying to argue with him when he's in 'Doctor Don' mode. He's impossible to reason with when he gets into one of his moods," the girl explained as she glared at Donatello, who avoided her gaze by looking away.

"Excuse me for caring," Donny grumbled.

"You put me on bed rest for two days because of a slight sinus cold," Irma growled.

Leo couldn't help chuckling as he saw the embarrassed look on his brother's face before he asked, "You going all helicopter turtle on the humans now Donny?"

"Dude, he relentless. I basically gave myself a papercut working on the truck in the barn and he wanted to give me a tetanus shot! Thankfully Irma managed to talk him down," Casey explained.

The blue masked turtle raised his eyes in surprise before he turned to Irma and said, "You managed to talk him down in 'Doctor Don' mode? That's pretty impressive."

Irma shrugged with a smirk before she replied, "I'm on the debate team at school and I know more big words then he does."

"Maybe we can use your silver tongue to make Donny get some sleep," Leo teased earning a glare from his little brother.

"On that note people we need to get some sleep. Everybody lights out," Raph piped in.

Leo watched as everyone listened to Raph. They may have groaned at the order given to them by the red masked turtle but nobody dared to disobey it.

…

The next morning was a shell shock for the oldest turtle. Leo got the opportunity to see how their clan was truly affected by the recent events. As Raph helped him walk into the kitchen, Leo was shocked to see the room empty except for Mikey and the mermaids. It didn't escape the oldest brother's attention when the orange masked turtle turned away from him entirely as everyone greeted them.

"Food is almost cooked and nobody is at the table. Did I miss something?" Leo asked in surprise.

Isla smiled sadly at the leader before she explained, "Everyone has been dealing with the change in their own ways. It is usually only the three of us for breakfast in the morning."

Raph noticed the look on Leo's face and felt the heaviness of guilt in his gut as he noticed his brother's gaze looking at Mikey's back. For the first month or so of coming to the farm, Mikey tried desperately to get everyone to at least have a meal together. The red masked turtle knew very well that they were neglecting each other, especially their youngest. At the time he couldn't bear to leave the oldest brother but that was no excuse for ignoring the others.

"Ya, well things are changing starting now. Maya, could you please tell everybody to get their butts in the house pronto. It's breakfast and they're all eating, no arguments," Raph said as he led Leo to a chair to sit down.

Maya smiled before she replied, "It would be this one's pleasure."

Once Leo was settled in the chair Raph walked over to Mikey. He wrapped an arm around his brother's shoulder before giving it a squeeze.

"What's for breakfast knucklehead?" Raph asked casually.

Mikey looked at his brother surprised for a moment before he smiled and replied, "Just the skillet of your dreams bro."

Raph smirked quietly for a few minutes before he hesitantly asked, "Do…you need any help?"

The youngest turtle knew that this was his big brother's way of apologizing after basically ignoring him for three months. As much as he wanted to be angry with everybody, he just couldn't be knowing they were all suffering.

Seeing Raph take the first steps to try and make it up to him gave the turtle hope that things would get better from here.

"Set the table for me and I could be persuaded to put some extra sausage on your plate," Mikey replied giving his brother one of his signature grins.

It was the first time anyone had seen of those smiles in a long time and Raph knew that was his baby brother's way of telling him he wasn't mad at him.

"Damn right I get the extra sausage," Raph said rubbing Mikey's head.

"Where's my extra sausage?" Leo teased from the table.

Raph spared his older brother a glance as he grabbed the dishes before he said, "Didn't anyone tell ya Leo? While you were in la la land, Mikey decided that I was his favorite big brother so I get all the extras."

"Well I know that's a load of bull because everybody knows that _I'm_ Mikey's favorite brother, right Mikey?" Leo replied in a teasing tone.

Mikey couldn't help smirking as his older brothers started playing a game that hadn't played since they were turtle tots.

When they were little, there was no question that Mikey was the cutest baby of the four brothers and the most babyish. Even back then, it was an unspoken agreement between the three older turtles that Mikey was their baby to love and protect. They made up the game 'Whose Mikey's favorite brother?' as an excuse to rile each other up before training or just to generally irritate each other. The youngest turtle would soak up all the attention and cuddles his big brothers would give him, even if it meant ending up at the bottom of a dog pile.

"You lost some brownie points while you were snoozing Leo. Guess who got snuggles all the way up here from New York from team M&M?" Raph boasted.

"No," Leo replied in horror.

"This one doesn't know if she wants to be a part of this game," Maya said with a nervous chuckle.

"Don't worry it's all in good fun. So just sit back and enjoy getting spoiled," Mikey replied.

Raph glared at Leo with a smug expression before he said, "That's right Leo. Not only am I Mikey's favorite, but now I'm Maya's favorite pod brother. Your move fearless."

Leo glared at his younger brother before he replied, "this means war."

"At a boy, Leo. Get nice and feisty for training while I eat _all_ the extra sausage," Raph teased mercilessly.

"Ahem."

Everyone in the kitchen turned to see Donny looking unimpressed with three confused humans behind him.

"You two must be out of your minds if you think that either one of you could ever hope to be team M&M's favorite," Donny commented smirking over at Mikey.

"Thanks for making breakfast guys…I'll do the dishes," Donny said sounding as if he was bragging.

Team M&M looked at each other before Mikey nodded at Maya. The mermaid sighed before she walked over to the tech savvy turtle.

Maya kissed Donny on the cheek before she said, "Thank you Donatello. You are most thoughtful to offer."

The two oldest brothers glared at the purple masked turtle before Raph said, "You're good Brainiac but you're goin' down."

"Are you guys seriously competing for Mikey and Maya's love right now?" April asked in amusement.

"Of course not. There is no question that they love me best," Donny replied smugly.

Karai rolled her eyes at her brothers before she said, "Don't you three feel a little silly trying to buy their love knowing they love you equally."

Leo, Raph and Donny went quiet for a few minutes before they all mumbled to themselves as they sat at the table. Karai nodded in approval as she followed them to the table. She sat across from the turtles in between Mikey and Maya while April and Isla sat on either side of team M&M.

"Glad we sorted out that childish business…," Karai said before she smirked and wrapped her arms around Mikey and Maya.

"After all, there's no competition who they love more when their big sisters are in the room," Karai explained casually.

It was difficult for Casey, the girls, and team M&M not to burst out laughing when they saw the looks on the turtles' faces. The trio were in shock that they just got blindsided in their own game by their sister and their friends.

…

After they all finished their meals, Raph stayed true to his word and took Leo out to do some light training. They both thought it would be best to go for a run in the forest since Leo's ankle wasn't completely healed yet. Leo insisted that he could move on it if they went at a slower pace.

Leo felt good training again, even if it was only just a short run. However, having to constantly stop to rest his ankle was frustrating for him. To the oldest brother's surprise Raph had been uncharacteristically patient with him. Leo observed him as they ran and he couldn't help noticing a slight in his little brother. Raph was quiet and calm on the outside but his hard eyes were ever watching as they made their way through the forest. Back at the house Raph stood taller and seemed confident as he barked out orders and tended to their lonely youngest.

"You've done good taking the lead while I was out," Leo commented as they stopped near a creek.

The red masked turtle spared his brother a glance before he replied, "Don't be getting' any ideas. I could never be the leader they need me to be."

"Oh? Tell me Raph, what kind of leader do they need?" Leo teased.

" _We_ need our big brother. I'm only substituting till you're healed up," Raph said so seriously it was overwhelming.

Leo suddenly looked distant before he replied, "That might take a while."

"Don't be like that Isla said your ankle will be healed in a week," Raph argued.

"That's not what I meant Raph," Leo said sharply.

The red masked looked at his older brother concerned and confused before he said, "I don't understand Leo. You okay?"

Leo sighed before he explained, "I'm a broken turtle little brother…losing to Shredder cost us our father and our home…because I wasn't stronger, I allowed Shredder to take away my honor and break my spirit. Everything is messed up because of me and quite frankly I don't know what to do. We're fifteen years old and I'm supposed to be head of this family. I'm supposed to take over where Sensei left off leading this clan…How can I possibly replace our father?"

Leo looked away not wanting to see Raph's reaction to seeing his brother and leader so defeated. A moment later he heard footsteps followed by a comforting hand on his shoulder.

The blue masked turtle looked up to see Raph smirk before he said, "Ya know Dylan has been checking in since we got here…I uh…might have admitted I was terrified of what I would do if you didn't wake up. He mentioned something he said you told him that helped."

Leo smiled as he remembered the spar he had with Dylan.

 _"This one will never be able to become the leader that he was," the merman said rubbing his tired eyes._

 _Leo placed a comforting hand on the teen's shoulder and smiled at him before he said, "then be a different leader."_

"Maybe you need to take your own advice bro?" Raph suggested.

…

Unknown to Isla and April when were busy with Caspian, they had an audience. The snow white fox mutant had approached the house when she saw smoke coming from the chimney. It had been years since anyone had used that house. Ten years to be exact after that night when they had lost so much.

The fox had been scavenging the woods when she smelt the distinct smell of a wood fire. Cautiously she had approached the place where once upon a time she called home. She was even more surprised when her jade eyes beheld a person she thought she had lost long ago.

Her heart ached as she watched the red head beckon for a small child to walk to her. Even though it had been ten years since she had last seen this girl, she recognized her immediately.

"April," she whispered as her eyes filled with tears.

* * *

That's all for now. Thanks to everyone who are following this story and making it apart of your favorite story list. Please don't forget to review to let me know what you think. Good night readers :)


	3. Chapter 3

The group of humans were nervous as they followed Splinter and Arnold through the maze of sewers. The former human understood their anxiety. He only hoped that once they were in the lair that they could finally feel safe.

"So, this place we're goin'…it's your home?" Arnold asked trying to fill the silence.

"Yes. The krang attacked my family there so it is not what it once was but we will be safe there. The krang would not suspect us to return," Splinter explained.

The human seemed to hesitate before he said, "I'm sorry about your family…do you know what happened to them?"

Splinter looked at the man sadly before he replied, "I am not certain…the last thing I heard was that my oldest son was severely injured and I have no idea what became of my other children after I told them to run. I only pray that they were able to find each other and leave the city safely."

Arnold gave Splinter a sympathetic look before he gave the rat's shoulder a squeeze.

"I couldn't find my boy when all this started and I have no idea where he is. I wanted to rip the city apart to find him but I had to protect my daughter…I'll never forgive myself for leaving him out there all alone but I know my boy will find his way back to me…Casey is a fighter and if anybody can survive this it's him," Arnold explained as he tried to swallow down sobs he had been holding in.

Splinter looked up at the man a little surprised. He felt a little foolish that he had only just understood why he felt such a strong connection to this man. Arnold noticed the rat being awfully quiet, he looked over to see Splinter smiling at him and chuckling.

"I should have known when I heard the name Jones," Splinter said making the other man confused.

"You and I spoke on the phone once. I complimented you on raising such a kind child," the rat added.

Arnold's eyes went wide as he remembered the night they bought Casey's suit for the dance and said mostly to himself, "Your kid was one of the new friends he met. The one that lost his wallet."

"There was never a missing wallet I'm afraid but there was a situation...I promise you Casey is not alone, not if my children have anything to say about it," the rat assured the man.

The human took a moment to process what he was being told and started chuckling before he said, "No offense but Casey is terrified of rats. How the hell did he make friends with a bunch of walking, talking mutant rats?"

"That's simple, Arnold Jones. My children are not rats…my sons are turtles and my daughter is human," Splinter explained casually.

Arnold looked at Splinter in confusion before he replied, "Not even gonna ask."

Splinter tried desperately not to laugh as he watched Arnold try to figure out how a rat had human and turtle children. As he watched the poor man try to process everything, Splinter decided he owed the man an explanation.

Splinter sighed before he said, "To be honest, Casey has been a visitor in my home for some time now. He befriended my children under unusual circumstances and fell into our lives…he has been a welcome addition to our family."

Although still confused, the human looked over and gave Splinter a grateful smile. The two men walked silently through the sewers.

"Ya know…I think I owe you and your kids a big thank you," Arnold said suddenly making Splinter look at him curiously.

"To what do I owe your gratitude?" Splinter asked surprised.

Arnold smiled sadly before he said, "You gave me back my son."

Splinter looked confused before the man explained, "Casey was considered a troubled kid. He was dealt a shitty hand in life. My wife and I…well we were teenage parents in an awful neighbourhood but we made it work ya know…at least until the day we lost my wife Maggie."

"My condolences…was she ill?" Splinter asked recognizing the pain of losing a soul mate.

"Murdered…in front of Casey when he was six. He was never the same after, thought it was his fault he couldn't protect his mom…he went from this sweet outgoing little boy to this angry kid with a huge chip on his shoulder. Grades dropped, friends disappeared...fights happened on the daily. Only thing that seemed to keep the kid sane was hockey," Arnold said before he looked at Splinter and smiled.

"Then one day a hell of a thing happened. He comes up to me and says dad I met these girls and they said I could go study with them. Then he comes back and says, dad I met these four guys that are pretty cool, I'm gonna go hang out with them. Suddenly Casey's grades are goin' up and he's staying out of trouble, hell he was talkin' about _college_ the one morning…then one day I'm lookin' at my kid and I had to really stop and stare cause I'm in shock. Casey is on the phone with one of your boys…Raph I think…and I didn't recognize him cause he's standing tall and he's got his head held high with an actual god damn smile on his face. The thing that hit me the most though was when I heard it…" Arnold had to stop talking as he started to choke up.

Splinter couldn't help getting a little choked up himself as he listened to the man's tale before he asked, "What was it that you heard?"

"He laughed. Hadn't heard since my wife was alive, but there he is talking on the phone with your boy and Casey was laughing his head off about some joke the pair of them have...he's finally happy and I owe it to you and your family…thank you for giving me back my kid," Arnold said truly grateful.

By this point, Splinter is barely holding his composure as he listened to Arnold. Never did he ever think that he or his children could have such an impact on a person let alone a family. He thought about the young man with the weight of the world on his shoulder and how he reminded him of his red masked son that also carried a burden on his shell. Both boys had changed drastically after meeting each other.

"Consider us even Arnold. You may not understand but as my children gave you back your son, Casey gave me back mine as well," Splinter explained.

A sound from up ahead made both Arnold and Splinter turn their heads towards the direction of the lair which was now within sight.

"No one should be here," Splinter said already in defensive mode.

"I'll go check it out," Arnold said.

He took Splinter's arm off his neck and stopped the group before he started to walk ahead. He was quickly stopped when the former human put a hand on his chest.

"Stay here. If there are enemies in my home then I will take care of them while you get your group to safety," Splinter said.

"I can't let you do that," Arnold argued.

"You can and you will. Stay here," Splinted commanded before he limped ahead.

The former human cautiously approached his home as he heard whispers and shuffling happening within it. Splinter grabbed a stick off the ground that would do as a staff before he stepped into the lair. Dark figures stopped and turned towards the doorway as they heard footsteps approaching.

"Who dares to trespass in this place?" Splinter demanded but stopped in shock at the sight before him.

The rats surprised amber eyes met the scared brown eyes of a young man wearing a pizza delivery shirt and holding a little girl. Beside him were more humans hiding from the krang. What surprised Splinter most was that the small group of humans seemed to be protected by large mutants.

"Master Splinter?" a deep voice rumbled which the rat gratefully recognized.

"Leatherhead? It is good to see you alive," Splinter said with relief in his voice as he approached the crocodile.

"Forgive me Master Splinter but we needed a safe place to bring these humans," Leatherhead replied.

"Who exactly have you brought into this home Leatherhead?" Splinter asked curiously.

One of the mutants stepped into the light and the former human instantly recognized his son's former pet turtle.

"You can call us the Mighty Mutanimals. It is good to see you again Master Splinter," Slash said looking nervous to see his friend's father.

…

April had been feeling strange lately. It felt as though her psychic were going haywire on her and it was giving her horrible headaches. She felt as though she was sensing the presence of two beings nearby. The first seemed as if it were keeping an eye on them from a distance, it felt familiar and safe. The other seemed like it was hiding and it didn't want to be found, it felt dark and very unnatural.

The red head was currently curled up on the couch with her head in her hands as she tried desperately to push away the cause of her headache. It was at that moment that Maya walked in and was instantly at the girl's side.

"What is wrong? This one sensed a disturbance within you," Maya asked concerned for her pod sister.

April winced in pain as she tried to sit up before she replied, "My brain feels like it's splitting in two...it's been on and off since we got here."

Maya stared at the red head for a moment before she said, "This one feared that the presences we had been feeling might affect you."

The human girl glanced at her friend surprised before she asked, "You knew that we weren't alone here?"

The mermaid nodded her head looking ashamed before she replied, "Isla and this one thought it best to figure out who are guests are before we told everyone else. Although it has gotten better since Leo has been healing, everyone is still tense…"

April had to admit that was probably a good idea, at least for the time being. However, the sooner they figured out what was going on the sooner these awful headaches would stop.

"Have you guys gotten any leads on who they are?" April asked.

Maya shook her head before she replied, "All that we know is that they are close and they are watching us closely."

"Well that's not uncomfortable at all," April mumbled sarcastically.

At that moment, a loud bang was heard near the front door that made both girls jump. The pair had just enough time to look at each other in confusion.

"Speaking of tense," Maya commented.

The girls looked just in time to see Casey stomp up the stairs completely oblivious to the fact that he had an audience. Before April or Maya could say anything Raph came storming in after Casey looking worried.

"Casey stop!" Raph called out.

"I said to leave it alone," Casey replied as he continued to go up to his room.

The red masked turtle ran up the stairs and caught up to his friend before putting a hand on the human's shoulder to stop him from going any further.

"You just gave my little brother a black eye so I'm sorry if I can't leave it alone. What the hell did Donny say that set you off?" Raph demanded trying not to lose his temper on his best friend.

Casey stared at the ground silently looking guilty which made the red masked turtle calm down a bit before he gently said, "Just talk to me buddy. I know you wouldn't do that if it wasn't a good reason."

"I…I need some space…let me cool down for a while and I'll go apologize to Donny I swear. Just leave me alone for a while," Casey mumbled sadly before he disappeared into his room and shut the door.

Raph stared at his friend's door for a few minutes before he looked at the bottom of the stairs to see April and Maya staring up at him in shock.

"May, could you go check out Donny's eye for me please?" Raph mumbled to the mermaid.

The silver haired girl nodded her head before she quickly disappeared out the door towards the barn to check on the purple masked turtle. April watched the girl go before she turned to Raph looking completely stunned.

"What the hell happened?" April demanded.

Raph shrugged his shoulders as he walked down the stairs and explained, "Dunno. Mikey and I were trying to get Caspian to walk while Isla went for a swim. Out of nowhere we hear Donny scream and Casey comes running out of the barn looking furious. Mikey goes to check on Donny and starts yelling that Casey punched Donny in the eye."

The red headed girl's face went from shocked to angry before she went to go up to Casey's room to give him a piece of her mind. Before she could get to far however, Raph grabbed her arm.

"Let him cool off April. He's not himself," Raph said understanding better then anybody that when someone was mad it was best not to confront them.

"That is no excuse to be punching people," April hissed.

Raph looked at his friend reluctantly before he said, "It's not but I kind of understand why he's a mess right now."

"What do you mean?" April asked calming down.

"Couple nights ago, I found him on the back porch…April, he was trying to call his dad. Must have been for a good hour that he would call and when it would go to voicemail…all I could do was just sit with him," Raph admitted looking upset.

The red masked turtle looked at April looking desperately before he said, "I begged him to talk to me but he just shut down and pushed me away. I'm seriously worried about him April…I don't want to lose another best friend."

April quickly pulled her friend into a comforting hug before he said, "You know Casey best Raph. If you think he needs space, then that's what we'll do. You've made it clear that he has someone he can go to when he's ready."

The pair pulled apart when the heard of a door creaking open. April and Raph looked up to see Casey looking guilty and angry all at once. He glanced at both of his friends before he made his way down the stairs with his phone and ear buds.

The boy stopped in front of Raph before he said, "I just need to go get some air and clear my head…maybe when I come back and say sorry to Donny we could talk."

The turtle nodded his head before he replied, "Take your time Casey. I'll be right here when you get back."

Casey gave the turtle a small smirk before he turned to go out through the back door.

…

The teen put his music on full blast before he started running through the forest. He wasn't sure what he was running from but it just felt good to move. He wasn't sure how long he had been out but when he saw the sky getting darker he decided it was probably best to start making his way back to the farm house. Casey suddenly stopped though when he saw something move out of the corner of his eye. The teen pulled out his ear buds before he looked around to see if he could spot the thing that could move that fast.

"Hello?" Casey called out hoping it was just a hiker that had gone off the trail near the road.

The sound of a twig snapping made Casey spin around just in time to see something large and white jump up into the trees. The boy's eyes went wide as he looked up into the tree to see a giant snow white fox with piercing jade green eyes. The fox growled at the boy before leaping down in front of him. Without warning, it grabbed the boy and spun him around before pinning him to a large tree. Casey was so stunned about what was happening that he couldn't even let out a scream for help. All he could do was watch as the large fox glared at him as if it was staring into his very soul.

"W-what do you want?" Casey finally said cursing his nervous stutter.

The fox ignored his question and just continued to stare at him before she said, "I can see why the girl likes you boy. If I were her age I would find you attractive as well."

"Who are you? What the hell do you want?" Casey finally asked.

"I am a friend. I apologize for the rough treatment boy but you were not supposed to notice my presence. I underestimated your perceptiveness," the fox explained after she released her hold on him.

"Why were you following me?" Casey demanded as he cautiously stepped away from the fox.

"The woods are not a safe place to venture child, especially at night. Your friends would be distraught if you did not return to them safely. I simply wish to see to it that you are returned safely to them," the fox replied.

Casey gave his head a shake before he said, "Well as much as I appreciate you watchin' my back lady, I gotta ask…why does it matter you about what happens to any of us?"

The fox stared at the teen with an unreadable expression before she simply said, "I'm afraid that's a personal matter. Now I think it's time you head back to your friends, boy. It isn't safe out here for you."

Casey wanted to press the fox further but before he could she jump up into the trees and vanished without a trace. The teen gave his head a shake before he turned to go back to the house.

"Oh, one more thing," the fox's voice said within the trees making Casey stop in his tracks.

"What's that?" Casey wondered as he tried to find her in the branches.

"That burden of yours looks quite heavy. Perhaps it is high time you let those willing to help assist you in removing it from your shoulders for good," the fox said in a cheeky tone.

Casey looked down at the ground before he replied, "It's not that easy."

"Take it from someone who knows a little something about burden. Sometimes the things we think we could have prevented are not our weights to carry. Let them help you move on child," the fox explained gently.

Even from the trees the mutant could see the teen desperately trying to hide his pain from the world so that he appeared unbothered. It painfully reminded her of the past she had left behind so long ago.

"I'll try, thanks…by the way what do I call you?" Casey said smiling as he looked up into the trees trying to find the fox.

It was quiet for a moment before her voice whispered, "Vixen."

…

It was already after dark when Casey finally made his way back to the house. Wanting to keep his promise to Raph, the teen went straight to the barn to settle things with Donny. He couldn't help staring at the floor as guilt consumed him. The pair may not always see eye to eye but that didn't mean the guy deserved to take a punch to the face. Quietly he approached the purple masked turtle before clearing his throat to announce his presence.

The tech savvy turtle turned to glance at his late-night visitor before he said, "What do you want Jones?"

Casey held his hands up in surrender before he replied, "Just want to apologize. I know you were just messin' around and didn't mean nothin' but…well to say the least the topic of my mom is a sore spot."

"No shit," Donny said curtly as he continued his work.

It wasn't hard to see that the turtle was still pretty pissed at him and rightly so. Casey sighed as he decided he would leave it for tonight.

"For what it's worth I really am sorry D," the teen said before he turned to leave the scientist for the night.

"Jones," Donny said suddenly making Casey stop and look at him.

"I shouldn't have teased about the picture of your mom in your wallet...she seems pretty cool," Donny said offering an apologetic smile.

"She was the best," Casey replied sadly before he left for bed.

…

Raph watched his friend go to the barn before he walked into the house and went straight to his room that they both shared. The red masked turtle thought about going up to talk to Casey about what happened but decided to leave it for the night. He quickly decided that it had been a long day and that he would head to bed early that night as well.

It was hard to fall asleep that night after everything that had happened. Eventually the red masked turtle managed to get a few hours of sleep before a blood curdling scream ripped him out of his rest. Without hesitation Raph jumped out of his bed and ran over to Casey's bed.

"Casey! Wake up!" Raph yelled as he tried shaking his friend to wake him up.

"MOM!" Casey screamed deep in his night terror as tears streamed down his face.

The red masked turtle started smacking Casey's cheek to try and wake him up. All the boy did was continue to scream.

"PLEASE OPEN YOUR EYES! I PROMISE I'LL BE GOOD JUST WAKE UP!" Casey cried before he sat up in his bed and gave a gut-wrenching scream of despair.

Raph was completely beside himself. It hurt to hear his friend in that much pain and all he wanted to do was wake him up but he had no idea how. Suddenly he felt two gentle but firm hands on his shoulders gently guiding him to the side before Isla appeared before the stunned turtle. The mermaid smiled at him before she turned her attention to Casey. The woman gently placed her hands on either side of Casey's head before resting her head on his. Although her mouth was not moving Raph knew that she was guiding their friend out of his night terror.

Before he knew it, the room had become silent except for the sound of Casey sobbing quietly. It felt like a lifetime but eventually Casey woke up from his restless sleep and slowly calmed his breathing.

"What the hell was that?" an authoritative voice demanded.

Raph turned to see his siblings and their friends looking just as horrified as he was. He turned his attention back to Casey, who was now awake. The teen looked embarrassed and upset as he wiped away the tear trails.

"Casey…what happened?" April asked concerned.

"It was just a nightmare…I don't even remember what it was about. Sorry guys," Casey mumbled in a raspy voice.

Isla gave the teen a look before she gently scolded, "Child this one thinks we both know that is not true. You are among friends that wish to help you boy, let them."

Casey remained still and silent until he felt two strong hands on his shoulders and looked up to see Raph looking at him with worry. It was at that moment he remembered what the fox told him and decided to listen to her advice.

The teen sighed before he explained, "It wasn't a nightmare…it was a memory. A reminder that I failed my family again."

"You know that's not true Casey. You were a six-year-old child," Isla said.

"I saw the gun. I could've warned my mom before the drive by. Now it's happening again. I should have told my dad about the krang," Casey explained.

"Casey, even if you did tell them there is no guarantee we could have saved them. Dad knew and we still lost him," April said sadly.

"You don't understand I thought it was okay that they didn't know about aliens and mutants if I could protect my family from them. My grandparents were right…I was a mistake and if it weren't for me mom would still be here," Casey ranted not realizing he was talking out loud.

Everyone in the room went into a shocked silence at what they just heard. Never in any of their lives had they heard anyone talk about themselves that way. The sound of a growl and the slam of a fist against a wall broke the silence. Before anyone could stop him, Raph jumped across the bed and grabbed Casey by the front of his shirt before slamming him against the headboard.

"You listen to me and you _fucking_ listen good. That's my best friend you're talkin' about and I don't tolerate _anybody_ talkin' that way about my friend. Only I get to tell ya that you're loud, to tuff for your own good, and for some reason you talk in third person…I'm gonna tell ya something else though that I want you to remember next time somebody says something like that. You have _never_ let anybody down. Not your parents, not your sister, and you sure as hell haven't let anybody in this clan down. Do I make myself clear?" Raph hissed.

To be honest Casey had no idea how to respond to his friend. On one hand, angry and protective Raph was terrifying. On the other it made him feel kind of good to hear somebody tell him he wasn't useless.

"Ya buddy loud and clear," Casey mumbled.

Good…and I swear on this clan that if I ever meet your grandparents that they ain't gonna like what I've got to say," Raph growled.

"I think it's safe to say that goes for everybody in the room bro," Mikey piped in as he looked at the room full of angry people.

"See that Jones. You got a clan and a pod watchin' your back. So get that shit out of your head right now so we can all go back to sleep," Raph growled looking calmer.

People sticking up for him was still a shock to his system but he liked it. Casey smiled t his friend before he nodded his head.

"Well with that bit of bad business taken care of, this one thinks it is time for bed," Island announced before she bearded the children back to their beds.

Everyone finally filed out and left both boys to try and get some sleep leaving the pair in a comfortable silence. Casey fell asleep quickly but Raph stayed awake a little longer. He was still coming down from his rage. The red masked turtle was furious about what Casey had said about himself and that the people that made him feel that way, were his own family. Raph couldn't help smiling when he saw Casey resting peacefully and in that moment swore that he would do everything in his power to get his friend to see his worth.

* * *

This chapter kind of wrote itself but I am pleased with it. To answer some questions the mystery character belongs to another reader who kindly let me use in this story. No she isn't Alopex but she will be appearing in this story. Don't forget to review and tell me what you think.


	4. Chapter 4

The forest was dark and quiet as a herd of deer grazed under the light of a full moon. The peace of the night was cut short when a shadow shot out of the trees and struck down one of the deer. The rest of the herd became startled before they took off in a stampede until the night once again became silent.

The dark figure watched as the rest of the deer disappeared before sicking its teeth into its prize. As it ate, the shadow didn't hear someone approaching until the silence was disturbed by the sound hands clapping together.

Out from the shadows appeared Vixen smiling with pride before she said, "Well done my little huntress."

The shadow appeared in the light of the moon revealing a smaller white kitsune with beautiful hazel eyes. Even with the fur on her face covered in deer blood, she was most beautiful soul alive in the older fox's eyes.

"Hi Mama. You're late for dinner… _again_ ," the kit scolded returning her mother's smile.

Vixen crossed her arms before she replied, "And you Alopex, are wearing more of your meal then is actually being consumed… _again."_

"Why does it matter how I eat? It's not like anybody can see me," Alopex chuckled as Vixen rolled her eyes at her feral daughter.

"Being alone here is no excuse for bad table manners," the fox argued as she walked over to her child and kneeled in front of her.

Vixen grabbed her daughter's face with one paw before licking her other paw and began cleaning the blood off Alopex's face.

"Are you seriously doing this right now?" Alopex growled.

The older fox only chuckled as she continued to clean her kit. Alopex huffed but knew that once her mom had a grip on her there was no escape.

"So…any info on our new friends at the farmhouse?" the younger fox asked.

"Only that the girl is definitely April. I don't think she could look more like her mother if she tried," Vixen replied with a soft smile.

"Will we ever be able to meet her?" Alopex asked curiously.

Vixen looked at her daughter sadly before she said, "Considering her present company I don't think the whole fox thing would bother her much but…it's just been such a long time and she was only a baby. It would be impossible for her to remember me."

"I don't understand why we can't just tell her who we are," Alopex sighed.

"It is for her safety. If the foot clan ever discovered who I was or the krang for that matter, both you and April would not be safe. April was raised as an ordinary girl, she was not raised a ninja as you were," Vixen explained.

"I could protect her," Alopex said firmly.

"You are one against thousands, even the strongest of ninja could not do such a thing. All we can do is guard her and her friends the best we can from the shadows," Vixen explained.

Alopex's ears suddenly perked up as a foxy smile crossed her lips before she said, "We? Does that mean that you think I'm ready enough to come with you?"

Vixen returned the smile before she replied, "Your skills have exceeded my expectations my little huntress. We will need those skills very soon child…that _thing_ is growing stronger by the minute."

…

Everything was beginning to settle after Casey's nightmares finally stopped. It had taken a few weeks of daily meditation with Leo, and countless hours of sparing with Raph. At last the Hamato clan was sleeping peacefully at night...everyone but April that is.

The red head had been feeling the constant presence of two other people watching them and now there was a third. April couldn't make heads or tails of the third identity she was sensing but so far it felt safe. Still, knowing her and the others were being watched constantly made her feel more than a little uncomfortable.

"Where the hell are you guys coming from?" April asked thinking out loud as she sat on the porch swing.

"April?"

The red head looked up when she heard her name to see Miwa looking at her curiously. The raven-haired girl walked over and sat down beside April. Ever since Karai had decided to change her back to her birth name, she and April had slowly become closer as friends. April tried to include Miwa to hang out with her, Maya, and Irma. In return Miwa genuinely tried to open up to them and bit by bit her mental wall was slowly crumbling down.

It had been a bittersweet moment for the turtles the day they saw their sister actually smiling and having fun like a normal teenage girl. They were happy that Miwa was finally free to be herself but they wished Master Splinter could be there with them to see it.

"Our stalkers bugging you again?" Miwa teased.

April, Isla, and Maya had decided to tell the others about their secret admirers after Casey told them about his encounter with Vixen.

"Ya…except now there's three of them," April sighed as she rubbed her eyes.

Miwa gave April a sympathetic look. The psychic life struggle was real and was currently keeping the red head from getting a good night's sleep.

"They can watch all they like as long as they don't try anything," Miwa commented as she wrapped an arm around April pulling the tired girl into a side hug.

"After what Casey told us I know for sure that the two in the forest are watching our backs, but that one…its dangerous and making me nervous," April explained.

"Still can't locate it?" Miwa asked.

April looked down at the ground almost ashamed before she replied, "No. I can't narrow it down, I'm not strong enough…it just feels like it's really close, like in the house close."

Miwa gave the girl's arm a squeeze before she said, "Give it time. You're a stubborn ass, you'll figure it out."

The red head couldn't help a snort of laughter before she rubbed her eyes exhausted.

"Come on, bed time. We've got a house full of humans, mutants, and mermaids to get up in the morning to clean this house," Miwa said as she stood up and helped April to her feet.

"Do you remember a time when saying that _wasn't_ normal?" April asked as they walked back into the house.

"Ya…it was awful," Miwa mumbled in reply.

…

Mikey smiled as one of his sleepy eyes peeked open when he heard light footsteps enter his room and the door shut quietly. Soon the light footsteps made their way over to him before a slight weight made the bed dip. A tiny body snuggled into his before he felt a soft kiss on his lips.

It had become a morning ritual since they had arrived on the farm that Maya and Mikey would sneak into each other's beds for even just a few moments of alone time together. Lately their link was becoming stronger and stronger. Any time the pair could slip away between training and helping to take care of the team they would. They especially enjoyed sneaking into each other's beds to have a quick make out session. The lovers tried desperately not to let the others know what they were up to for fear that the protective Hamato brothers.

"Best wakeup call ever," Mikey mumbled as he wrapped his arms around the tiny form.

"Agreed beloved," Maya whispered in his ear before kissing her mate again on his cheek.

Mikey looked over and smiled at his mate before he rolled over and started kissing her gently. Maya gently placed her hands on the side of Mikey's face as she kissed him back. As they deepened their kiss the turtle traced his hand along the mermaid's body. Just as Mikey was about to slide his hand up his mate's shirt the sound of someone pounding on the door made the pair instantly stop with eyes wide as saucers.

"Mikey! Wake the hell up, it's cleaning day!" Raph yelled from the other side of the door.

The younger turtle pretended to groan like he had just been woken up by the knocking before he replied, "Alright I'm up! Give me five minutes!"

"Fine…you seen Maya?" Raph asked.

Team M&M looked at each other awkwardly before Mikey replied, "Uh…no. Maybe she went out for a swim."

"Well link her and tell her that breakfast is almost ready and hurry up," the red masked turtle said before walking off.

Neither Mikey or Maya dared to breath let alone move until the sound of Raph's footsteps disappeared.

 _'That was way to close'_ Maya said through their link.

 _'I am so gonna prank him later for this'_ Mikey replied bitterly.

 _'This one is actually a little glad he did'_ the mermaid admitted as she giggled at her mate's disgruntled expression.

Mikey glared at his mate before she explained _'Beloved…our link is becoming stronger it is sending us into early maturity. At this rate, we could be in heat in just a few months. We must slow down.'_

The turtle looked at his mate with uncharacteristically serious eyes before he nodded and said _'You're right…I want to have kids someday but I don't want them to be born into a war.'_

Maya couldn't help the warm feeling that filled her chest. It was the first time that either one of them had talked about starting a family.

The mermaid kissed her mate lovingly before she said _'Agreed beloved…now this one must go sneak out the window and jump in the lake.'_

 _'I'll create a diversion.'_ Mikey replied as he gave her a cheeky smile.

Maya nodded before making her way outside through the window. Once his mate was out of site, the orange masked turtle took a deep breath before letting out a blood curdling scream.

"MIKEY!" Leo screamed from down stairs before several pairs of feet could be heard running towards his room.

The blue masked turtle was the first to make it to Mikey's room before ripping the bedroom door open. Karai, Leo, Raph and Donny were the first ones piling in the room with weapons in hand ready to destroy whatever caused their baby brother to scream like that. They looked around the room before laying their eyes on the completely unharmed turtle.

Mikey stared at his siblings casually before he said, "I saw a spider."

…

After promptly whooping their baby brother, the Hamato clan made their way downstairs for breakfast. By the time, they made it down the stairs Maya was already sitting at the table with her damp hair pulled back into a side braid.

"May you need to teach your boyfriend how to kill spiders," Raph grumbled as he sat down at the table.

"No need. This one is happy to kill the spiders for her beloved, the cockroaches for you, and any other insects that dare plague this one's pod," Maya replied with one of her signature smiles.

"We know and appreciate it Maya," Leo said as he squeezed his red masked turtle's shoulder who was currently blushing in embarrassment.

The sound of footsteps could be heard before Mikey made his grand entrance into the kitchen rubbing the back of his head with a disgruntled expression. The fun-loving turtle quickly made his way over to his mate and sat beside her at the table before he rested his head on her shoulder.

"Maya…I got a boo boo…I need kisses," Mikey whined pathetically.

The mermaid chuckled as she wrapped her arms around her mate and kissed his bruised head before she said _'Thank you for the distraction beloved.'_

 _'Anytime sweet scales'_ Mikey replied as he nuzzled his mate's neck.

The sound of someone clearing their throat caught team M&M's attention and the pair turned to see that they had an audience watching them.

"Think you love birds could keep your hands off each other long enough to listen to the game plan," Donny said looking annoyed.

The pair nodded before Leo stood up and said, "Now that I have everyone's attention we can get started. Everyone is responsible for their own rooms. Team M&M is on dust duty. April and Irma are cleaning the kitchen. Isla is doing laundry, Karai is cleaning the windows, Donny and I got vacuuming and mopping…so that leaves Casey and Raph on bathroom duty," Leo announced as he looked down at their chore list.

Everybody groaned as they were assigned their cleaning jobs for the day before Caspian looked up at Leo expectantly. When he couldn't get Leo's attention the baby looked over at his future sensei looking confused.

 _'Job?'_ Cass asked Raph through their mental link.

The red masked turtle smiled at the merbaby beside him proudly for wanting to pull his weight before he reached over to rub the baby's head affectionately.

 _'Your only focus should be learning how to walk and finding your voice little ninja. I promise to give you all the chores you want once you've mastered that''_ Raph replied with a wink.

After breakfast, everyone reluctantly got to work with their assigned chores. Once everyone was out of the room, April and Irma decided on a game plan. The pair quickly cleaned up the morning dishes before getting into the more tedious chores of cleaning the fridge and oven. Both girls had a pretty good rhythm going as they worked, which left a lot of time for gossiping.

"You made out with Gus...science club president Gus Warner. That guy is so serious, I just can't picture him making out in public." April gasped.

Irma glanced over at her friend with a smirk before she replied, "It was in the science lab after school so nobody was there and for your information, Mr. Serious has got the science down pat on kissing."

"Lesson learned. Don't underestimate the sex appeal of nerds," April said with a chuckle.

"Speaking of nerds…have you talked to our resident reptilian geekazoid about his little confession back in New York," Irma said as she pulled shelves out of the fridge to wipe them down.

April instantly stopped scrubbing the stove and looked over at her friend looking ashamed. The red head knew she had fucked up with Donny. She never wanted to hurt him but at the same time she knew she could never love Donny as anything more than one of her beloved friends that were as dear to her as brothers. Irma noticed her friend was suddenly being quiet and looked over to see the red head looking visibly upset.

"Shit, April I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hit a nerve," Irma said.

"No, it's okay. I'm just…I'm scared to talk to him…I love him but I don't love him like that and I'm so scared that he won't want to be my friend after this," April ranted.

Irma looked at her friend sympathetically before she said, "You know what's funny? I haven't known Donny that long but even I know that there is _nothing_ you could possibly do that would make him hate you," Irma reassured her friend.

"I know you're right but that doesn't make me any less scared," April admitted.

"No shame in being scared, as long as you never let it hold you back…worst case scenario is that even if Donny decides he doesn't want to be friends, at least you can say you were honest," Irma said encouragingly.

The red head thought back to when Mikey had admitted to her that he and the turtles had accidently turned her dad into a mutant bat. As much as she was angry at the four brothers for the part they played in her losing her dad, she had been grateful that they didn't lie about it.

April looked up and gave her friend a smile before mumbling, "Thanks."

Irma gave her a smile and a wink before returning to her task. April was about to back to cleaning the stove top when she was hit with a sudden pain. The red screamed in pain as she fell against the stove whimpering in pain.

"April?" Irma said as she quickly made her way over to her friend.

"Talk to me. What the hell is going on?" Irma demanded.

April groaned before she said, "The basement…we need to go to the basement."

Irma stared at her friend confused. Before she could ask her friend what the hell she was talking about, she heard everyone running into the kitchen.

Donny ran up to the two girls before he demanded, "What happened?"

"She was fine one minute and the next she was like this…she keeps saying we need to go into the basement," Irma explained looking worried.

"Dude, we have a basement!" Mikey said excitedly.

The orange masked then looked over to Leo and innocently asked, "What's a basement?"

Donny ignored Mikey to focus on the dire situation in front of him. He gave Irma an odd look before turning to April and asked gently, "April, what's in the basement?"

The red head appeared to be in a trance as she spared the purple masked turtle a glance before sprinting towards the living room. Everyone watched as she ripped the area rug off the floor to reveal a cellar door.

"I never even knew this was here," April mumbled to herself before she cautiously opened the door to the basement.

It was dark and damp as she peered down into the basement. The idea of going down didn't appeal to her at all but April could feel something pulling her towards it. Just as she was about to start walking down the stairs, a hand on her shoulder stopped her. She turned to see Leo looking at her sternly.

"Let us go first to be safe," Leo said in a tone of voice that sounded gentle but was full of authority.

April only nodded as she stepped aside to let the turtles, Casey and Karai walk ahead of her before following them down. She stopped when she noticed Isla, Maya and Caspian wanted nothing to do with the dark basement.

"Are you guys coming?" April asked.

The two mermaids looked at each other before looking at April and shaking their heads. Maya then explained, "Forgive us April. Whatever is down there is making it _very_ clear that we are not welcome in its domain."

"Do you know what it is?" April asked.

"It hides from us but wants to be found by you…be careful," Isla answered

The red head nodded before she followed the others into the basement. When she got downstairs she gasped at what she was seeing.

"Is that what I think it is?" April asked as she cautiously approached the turtles.

"If you think it's a Krang ship…then ya it is," Mikey said to her casually.

"From the looks of it, this thing has been here for years," Donny said wiping the dust off the control panel of the ship.

"What the hell is this doing under my house?" April demanded.

Donny pushed a button on the ship that opened the door to the ship before he looked over at April and said, "There's only one way to find out."

Cautiously everyone went inside the ship and began exploring. Raph stopped when he noticed something and shone his flashlight on it. His eyes bulged the revealed a person frozen inside a stasis pod.

"Guys…get over here," Raph called.

Everyone came over and stared before Karai asked, "Is that a person?"

Donny was instantly in doctor Don mode and starting assessing the pod as she said, "Nobody touch anything."

Mikey stepped back to get out of Don's way only to back up into a control panel and accidently hit one. After that things happened in a series of quick motions. The ship came to life lighting up everything including the stasis pod. The pod began to open and reveal the appearance of the person inside of the pod. As the frost cleared, everyone watched in amazement while April stared at the person like she was seeing a ghost.

"Oh, my God," she said.

"April…what's wrong?" Casey asked concerned.

"It's my mom," the red head explained with her eyes glued to the still form.

The blond-haired woman in the pod groaned as she slowly opened her green eyes and awoke from her deep sleep. She stared at the people in the room in fear.

"Who are you people? What's going on?" she demanded.

She then turned her terrified eyes to the red headed teenager and whispered, "April."

…

Irma and Karai helped settle the woman in the living room while Casey helped April make some tea in the kitchen to settle everyone's nerves. While everyone was, worried and amazed by the woman in front of them, Mikey and the mermaids had their doubts. This listened carefully as April's mother revealed her tale about the night of her disappearance.

Her family had been at the mercy of krang experimentation for generations before her great grandfather had somehow escaped them. After his freedom, the story of the Krang became a family myth until April was born. Once the aliens had caught wind of the infant that was both human and Krang, they were once again attacked. April's mother had been captured trying to protect her baby and been in stasis ever since.

 _'This one doesn't trust this woman. Her mind is tightly closed but even still this one can tell her words are dripping with lies'_ Maya said to her mate as she stared at the woman.

 _'Dido. She seems…weird'_ Mikey replied as he glared at the woman.

"What's got you two looking sour?" Raph whispered to Mikey when he noticed him and Maya looking like they were getting ready for a fight.

"Don't trust April's mom. Don't know what it is but something about her is just…wrong," Mikey replied to his brother in a whisper.

"You can't be serious," Raph said absolutely shocked by what his brother was saying making the others turn their attention to them.

"Guys, what's going on?" Leo demanded looking unimpressed with his brothers for interrupting April and her mother's reunion.

Raph spared a glance at team M&M before he explained, "Mikey and Maya think there's something wrong with Mrs. O'Neil."

Both April and her mother looked shocked. The red head turned to Mikey and Maya with a hurt expression before she said, "How dare you? Why would you say something so cruel!"

"April, use your gift. This woman is not who she says she is. If she were your mother and knew of your gifts, then why would she close her mind so tightly?" Maya explained gently.

April's mother stood up horrified before she exclaimed, "I do not have to take this from a mutant and a freak like you."

The woman turned to April and said, "That _thing_ tried to attack my mind. I was only protecting myself. You believe me don't you April."

The red head looked at her mother shocked before she replied, "Of course mom. Why don't we go get some air?"

April then glared in team M&M's direction before she growled, "I'm sure this is just a misunderstanding."

Once mother and daughter were out of the room, everyone but Isla turned and glared at the young couple.

"What the hell are you two thinking? This woman has been through a trauma. Her natural response is to close her mind off to you" Donny said in absolute shock.

"Wild imaginations or not, you two can't just make accusations like that," Leo scolded the pair looking very unpleased.

"Not cool guys, you've only known the lady for like an hour. At the very least you need to give her a chance for April's sake," Casey said being the most understanding of how important this moment was for April.

"You don't understand. The story that woman told is false," Maya said defending herself and her mate.

"Where's your proof then?" Raph demanded.

"There was a woman here that witnessed the death of Elizabeth O'Neill. She left a journal describing the night the krang attacked," Isla said stepping in holding a hard-covered notebook.

That made everyone in the room go silent before Isla looked at them all and added, "Her name was Emily."

…

"Mom I'm so sorry, I don't know what got into them. Are you okay?" April asked.

"I'll be fine once we're gone," the woman replied in a strange tone of voice.

April looked at her mother in confusion before she asked, "Where exactly are we all going?"

The blond woman stared at her daughter with unreadable green eyes before she replied, "You and I need to go away on a little trip, just us girls. We can get as far away from these freaks as we can and then it just be us making up for lost times."

"But…I can't just leave. These guys are my family to," April said feeling suddenly torn.

"I am your mother April. I am the only true family you have here. So, if I say we're leaving then I expect you to go back your damn bags," the woman demanded as she grabbed April's arm in a painful grip.

April was about tell her mother she was hurting her when a growl caught her attention. The red head cautiously turned her head to see two snow white mutant foxes growling at them. The larger of the two stepped forward snarling.

" _You_ are the only freak here. Let her go," the fox growled viciously.

The woman that April thought was her mother smirked at the two mutants before she replied, "I was wondering what happened to you after all these years, experiment #8E5G4B."

April only had time to gasp before the two foxes charged at them. The larger fox tackled April's mother to the ground forcing her to let go of the red head's wrist while the smaller one stood in front of April protectively. The red head was to shocked to move as she looked on terrified between the two large white mutant foxes.

"Don't be afraid, she won't touch you again. I won't allow it," the small fox assured April with gentle hazel eyes.

April nodded in understanding before she turned her attention to the other fox growling as it held down her mother.

"That is not my name and _you_ are not Beth," the larger fox snarled as she bared her sharp teeth only inches from the blond woman's face.

April's mother smiled before she replied, "I'm sorry. I forgot you prefer to be called Vixen."

The fox growled before opening her jaws and used her teeth to rip the skin off the blond woman's face. April screamed in absolute horror at what she was seeing in front of her. However, it was not at the site of the fox ripping the skin off her mother's face that disturbed her so much but the purple krang monstrosity that lay underneath it.

* * *

Yay for another chapter! Thank you to everyone who is enjoying this so far. Please don't forget to review and let me know what you think of the story so far. Till next time readers!


	5. Chapter 5

Everyone ran outside when they heard April's horrified scream. A million horrible scenarios ran through their heads as they ran to their friend's aid but what they found was nothing of what they were expecting.

A terrified April was being guarded by a fierce looking large white fox. Only a few feet from them another fox was holding down April's mom and growling ferociously. The turtles instantly pulled out their weapons ready to fight off the beast that was trying to harm their friend's mother when the sight of her made them stop. The woman being held down had the body of a human but the head of a purple monster.

Leo, Raph and Donny looked on in horror until the sound of their youngest brother's scream made them turn to him. They looked at Mikey's disturbed expression before following his gaze to what he was staring at in the grass. They all gasped when they realized they were staring at what was left of April's mother's face.

Donny was the first to recover. With a deadly expression, he glared over at the fox with his bo staff in hand and demanded, "What have you done?"

The fox looked at the turtle before she replied, "I have simply revealed the wolf in sheep's clothing. This thing is not who you all think she is."

"I-I don't understand," April said sounding scared but determined to find out what the hell was going on.

Vixen wanted so much to look back at the young girl to explain herself but she simply could not ignore the threat that was still active. The monster only smiled up at the fox before tentacles grew out of her body and began wrapping themselves around the fox.

"VIXEN!" the smaller fox shouted wanting to run into the battle but knew that her place was protecting the human girl behind her.

The large white fox growled before sinking her sharp teeth into the purple tentacle that was wrapped around her body. The monster screamed in pain before throwing Vixen several feet away. The Hamato clan watched dumbfounded as the mutant quickly got to her feet and got into a fighting position that was all too familiar to them. The krang monster wasted no time attacking the fox who waited patiently for her opponent to come to her. The creature in human skin whipped its tentacles at Vixen who simply blocked the attacks with smooth gestures.

"Impossible," Leo said.

"What's up Leo?" Casey asked with his eyes locked on the battle.

"She fights like one of the masters of the Hamato clan back in Japan…Splinter is the only other person I've seen fight like that," Karai explained.

Mikey sighed and rolled his eyes before he ranted, "Just once I'd like to come to the surface, take a family vacation where none of us get injured and/or disappear, we don't encounter things trying to kill us, or encounter long lost Hamato clan ninjas turned mutant. Is that too much to ask?"

Maya smiled sympathetically at her mate before she replied, "Unfortunately, that is asking a bit much beloved…that is why we can't have nice things."

…

Vixen was putting up a good fight against the monster but she was becoming weak while the creature remained at full strength. The fox was quickly growing frustrated by her opponent's lack of weakness.

April watched in awe from her spot as she watched the fox fight for all their lives. There was something about this person that felt extremely familiar. Something about this mutant reminded the red headed girl very much of her father.

She was brought out of her thoughts when Vixen was thrown to the ground by the Krang monster she was fighting. The others were about to jump into rescue the white fox but stopped when she growled at them.

"Stay back, this creature is pure chaos. The krang could not control its monstrous appetite anymore then they could destroy it. You must take April and leave this place at once. Alopex will protect you," Vixen shouted to the group.

The smaller fox guarding April growled at her mother before she said, "I will not leave you here with that thing."

Vixen turned to her daughter to command her child to flee. Before she could speak a tentacle wrapped itself around the fox's neck forcing an animalistic whimper from her lips. Another grabbed Vixen's arm before it picked her up and slammed her into the ground causing her to dislocate her right arm. Alopex screamed for her mother as she watched it pull Vixen towards its chest to absorb her. The group didn't think twice to attack the Krang monster to rescue their savior, but their efforts were in vain. For every attack they tried to land on the creature, it had a limb to flick them away like flies.

April looked on in horror feeling useless as she watched the fox get pulled closer and closer to her doom. She wasn't sure how she knew but somehow this person was important to her and April O'Neill was getting sick and tired of losing important people. The girl rose to her feet with a new-found courage before walking around her protector. Before Alopex could stop her, April ran at the monster that dared to try and hurt her friends. Using all her strength and abilities, the red head sent a power mental attack at the monster.

The power behind April's assault was so strong and fast, that it destroyed the creature's psyche upon impact. The Krang monster didn't even have time to scream before it's body dissolved into nothing but dust.

Nobody moved or said a word as they all stared at April in complete shock from the spots that they were thrown from the creature. The red head was staring at the ground while hunched over and trying to catch her breath. She looked up nervously to meet Vixen's gaze.

The fox's face went from pure shock to immensely proud. Vixen couldn't help the laughter that erupted from her chest as she got to her feet.

"My God have you ever exceeded my expectations. We all knew that you would be strong child but…I truly am impressed," the fox said as she approached April while holding her injured arm.

April looked at the fox with terrified eyes before she said with anger, "Exceeded your expectations? I don't even know what the hell I just did or who you are!"

Vixen stopped walking towards the girl looking slightly ashamed. The fox had been in such awe of the girl's abilities that she had forgotten that she was dealing with a very scared young girl that had only scratched the surface of what she was capable of.

April took notice of the woman's expression and calmed down a bit before she asked, "Will you please just tell me who you guys are and what the hell is going on?"

The fox gave the girl a nod before she replied, "Yes. I will explain everything…let us go inside first where it is warm. This is after all, a very long tale."

…

When they went in, Isla quickly went to the kitchen to make tea for everyone. The others went to the living room. As April sat on the couch, her head felt fuzzy as if it were full of cotton. The red head pinched the bridge of her nose giving herself a moment to let the dizzy spell pass.

"April?" Irma asked in a voice that sounded a million miles away.

When she didn't answer Karai's blurry form was kneeling in front of her before April heard her say, "What's going on? Talk to us."

The red head wanted to answer them, she really did. However trying to speak at that moment was like trying to talk underwater. April was on the verge of a full blown panic attack when two soft, furry paws laid themselves gently on the sides of her face and began to gently stroke her cheeks.

"Calm down now April. Just breath," Vixen whispered in a gentle voice that seemed to soothe April in her distress.

The red head couldn't put her finger on it but something about Vixen's voice wrapped around her like a warm familiar blanket from childhood. She felt safe in the presence of the fox as if she were with someone she had known her whole life.

April's breathing became steady and her body relaxed. Vixen smiled at he girl's progress before she whispered, "That's it Poppy."

 _'Poppy?'_ April thought briefly before her vision went dark.

 _When April opened her eyes she instantly knew she was dreaming. She couldn't talk and felt as though she was being held in someone's arms. Her eyes were blurred with tears and she felt like her mouth was on fire as she cried in pain. She turned her big blue watery eyes up to look upon the face of her real mother. The woman looked exhausted as she rocked her daughter desperately._

'Am I seriously reliving a memory of myself teething?' _April thought to herself becoming more irritated by the minute._

 _"You look like you could use some help," a familiar voice said bringing April out of her thoughts._

 _The baby looked over to see a young woman leaning against a doorway with crossed arms as she smiled at the young mother. She had jade green eyes and flawless peach skin that any Caucasian woman would die to have. However her dark hair and stunning almond shaped eyes gave away the woman's Japanese heritage._

 _April couldn't help the gummy smile that appeared on her face when this woman came into view. The red head didn't know why but seeing this woman just made her really happy._

 _"Emily, have I told you lately that you're my very favorite sister in law?" April's mother said with a big smile on her face._

 _The other woman chuckled before she replied, "Beth, I'm your only sister in law."_

 _Beth looked thoughtful for a moment before she shrugged and said, "Still my favorite."_

 _The woman now known as Emily rolled her eyes and shook her head before holding out her arms to take the baby. Beth wasted no time handing her daughter over to her sister in law._

 _"Go get some sleep Beth. Kirby would kill me if I let you exhaust yourself past your limits,"Emily said in a tone that left no room for arguing._

 _Beth huffed before she replied, "That brother of yours should win an award for being such a worry wort...that being said a couple hours of shut eye does sound pretty nice right about now."_

 _Emily smiled affectionately at the young mother as she watched her leave the room to get some much needed rest. The young woman then turned her attention back to the infant she was holding and gave the baby a warm smile. She shuffled the baby so that she was holding her in one arm while she reached into her pocket and pulled out a sandwich baggie containing a few pickles._

 _"This should help. Nice and cold from the fridge," Emily said to the baby before she pulled out one of the pickles and placed it against April's lips._

 _The baby quickly opened her mouth and began gumming on the treat. April felt quite content as cold pickle grinds gentle massaged her gums and relieved some of her teething pain._

 _Emily could feel the baby's tiny body relaxing in her grip, indicating that worst of the teething pain was behind them...for now at least. The woman chuckled at the noises coming from the little girl as enjoyed her pickle._

 _"That's it Poppy," the woman cooed._

April was caught off guard when she blinked and went from being a baby looking up at a familiar woman to being a teenager staring at the face of a fox mutant who shared the same eyes as the woman in her dreams. As confused as she was there was one thing she knew for sure, the woman from her dream and this fox were one in the same.

"You're...Aunt Emily," April said suddenly stunning everyone in the room except for the person in question.

Vixen hadn't been called that name in such a long time, she couldn't help the tears that filled her eyes as her emotions overwhelmed her. She thought she had long since put to rest the person she used to be. She stood corrected however the moment her her long lost niece called her by her human name and reminded her how much she missed her old life.

The fox couldn't seem to find her voice in that moment and instead answered April by hesitantly nodded her head confirming the girl's statement. April just stared at the woman stunned before she flew at the woman and wrapped her arms around her neck. Vixen gasped in surprise before quickly wrapping her arms and her tail around April's waist, holding her tight. The fox ran her paws through her niece's red hair as both she and April silently cried with tears of both happiness and sadness.

"I have missed you Poppy," Vixen whispered into the girl's ear.

April smiled into the crook of her aunt's neck before she replied, "I used to dream about you but you were always so fuzzy in them...I missed being called Poppy while I'm awake."

The others were shocked at they watched the pair interact. At the same time however they couldn't have been happier to see April finding a bit of happiness after all that she had lost. Alopex couldn't help her body bouncing in excitement, she had been waiting impatiently for this reunion for her entire life. April and Vixen pulled away before the fox placed her paws on the girl's face to dry away her tears.

April smiled at her aunt before she said, "So you're the reason I'm obsessed with pickles."

Vixen chuckled before she replied, "You make it sound like a bad thing."

It was at that moment Leo stepped forward and said, "April...I thought your aunt was back in New York. I don't understand how this could have happened."

The red head looked over at her friend before she replied, "Aunt Natalie lives in New York, she's one of my mom's siblings. Aunt Emily is my dad's half sister..."

She trailed off and turned her gaze back to her aunt before she added,"...dad thought you died with mom."

The fox's ears dropped as she thought of her big brother. She couldn't help thinking of when she met her brother when she was five on her first trip to New York city. His mother despised her for him it was love at first sight. The second she walked into the O'Neill house, six year old Kirby pulled her into a bear hug, he told her that he was her big brother and promised to always protect her. Emily had learned quickly that Kirby O'Neill had a big heart that loved deeply. She knew that losing a loved one would be difficult enough but to lose two...well for him it would be unbearable.

"Aunt Emily..."

The sound of April's voice pulled Vixen from her thoughts. The red head seemed hesitant before she asked, "What happened that day?"

Vixen stared at her niece with sad eyes before she sighed and replied, "I'm afraid this started long before that day...a few generations ago to be exact."

"Why the O'Neill family? What makes April's parents so special," Leo asked sounding shocked.

The fox looked over at the blue masked turtle before nodding her head and explained, "I'm afraid our family found out in a horrible way that we won the genetic lottery when it comes to combining it with the Krang's. My great great great grandfather who originally built this house witnessed a Krang ship landing in his field. Naturally he went to inspect it and was quickly discovered. The Krang used in experiments to combine human and Krang DNA...apparently Homer O'Neill was the their first successful hybird. They released Homer and left him laying in the field, he woke up thinking he had a strange dream. As life went on, he had no idea that the Krang took refuge under his house to watch him closely."

"What were they waiting for?" Donny asked.

"The DNA of the Krang takes generations to achieve its maximum potency. The most recent generations have been the most powerful so it was the perfect opportunity to harvest so to speak," Vixen answered.

Irma had a look of realization on her face. It quickly turned to horror however before she said, "Oh my god. They were waiting for April."

The fox nodded to the girl confirming her suspicions before she replied, "It wasn't just April they were after...they never knew about me since I lived between New York and Japan. They found out about April because they were coming after me."

Vixen then turned to April and said, "They found out about me once we moved into the farm house after my...bit of bad luck. They were watching me for a few weeks before they sensed the power that you possessed was just as strong as mine. I guess they decided they wanted us both and wasted no time trying to take what they believed was theirs...Beth was killed trying to save me from capture. The last thing I saw before being forced through the portal to Dimension X was a Krang droid punching shooting a laser through her chest. Those monsters stole her DNA to see if it could be useful to them and that monster was born."

The red headed girl silently cried as she finally found out the truth after all these years. Casey quickly went and sat beside her before wrapping a comforting arm around her shoulder. April smiled at the boy before turning back to her aunt.

"What about you? What happened after you went to Dimension X...and who is she?" April asked nodding her head in Alopex's direction.

The smaller fox's ears drooped and her curled around her waist as all eyes fell on her. Vixen smiled at her before turning to April and said, "Well... I don't remember much about Dimension X other then that I was in a lot of pain from the experiments and that I was determined to get the hell out of there. After my escape I found myself beside the lake outside of the house, I terrified to see that I had been turned into a fox...but that didn't scare me nearly as much as finding out that I was pregnant."

"You tellin' me that she's a Krang baby?" Raph said suddenly glaring at Alopex from across the room.

"No she is not...I had been feeling ill before the attack. I had confided in Beth that I thought I might be but we never had the chance to get a pregnancy test," Vixen explained.

"Then...whose the father?" Raph demanded before team M&M both smacked his head for being insensitive.

Vixen tried to hide the smirk from her face at the pair before she answered, "I'm afraid that's a story I am not prepared to talk about tonight."

Isla quickly came to the woman's rescue and said, "You have no obligation to tell us. Let us instead celebrate! A pod has been united this night if only a by one member."

April nodded before she stood up and quickly made her way over to Alopex. The fox looked a little hesitant before the red head wrapped her arms around her and pulled her into a hug.

"I always wanted a cousin," April said making Alopex's face light up like a Christmas tree before she returned the hug.

Miwa took that moment to take her tea and raise it up before she said, "Well I think a toast is in order."

Everyone smiled and lifted their cups up before she said, "Here's to O'Neill women. Beth maybe only here in spirit but I have no doubt she is beaming to know you guys are together again."

"Cheers!" everyone said.

After everyone took their drink Karai added, "...and here's there officially being more girls under this roof then boys."

"Cheers!" the girls all yelled before laughing at the room full of groaning boys.

* * *

That's all for now! Sorry for the delay, please don't forget to review and let me know what you think. Till next time readers.


	6. Chapter 6

It was a normal quiet afternoon for Isla. It wasn't unusual that she and Caspian had the house to themselves this time of the day. As much as she loved her ever growing pod, the mermaid couldn't deny that she relished in the silent tranquility that came from the teens disappearing to their own devices. That peace was disturbed however when Isla's sensitive hearing picked up the sound of shuffling feet and whispers. The young mother couldn't help but groan as she accepted that a nap in a quiet house with her son was not happening today.

The mermaid quickly made her way up to the stairs to investigate why seven of the ten teenagers were hiding themselves away in one of the bedrooms. As she put her hand on the door knob she could faintly hear them whispering away about something which only peaked her interest further. Without further ado, Isla opened the bedroom door making all seven teens turn and look at her like deer caught in the headlights.

There was an awkward silence in the room before Leo stood up and said, "Uhh…hi."

"What are you children up to?" Isla demanded with a dead pan expression on her face.

Everyone looked at each other before Leo sighed and replied, "We're worried about team M&M…they're acting really weird."

Isla gave the eldest turtle a curious look before she asked, "How so?"

Leo blushed as he tried to find the right words before Karai looked over and bluntly said, "We think they might be mating."

"Which isn't possible because they haven't matured yet," Donny added as he held his lap top containing all the information he had gathered about mermaids and their mating cycle.

"Well somethin' is going on with those two and it's starting to freak me out," Raph commented looking a little flustered.

"No kidding. I gave Mikey a hug and Maya…hissed at me," April explained.

"I accidently bumped into Maya yesterday while she was holding Cass and Mikey snapped at me…like literally he tried to bite me," Casey said.

"Are we not going to talk about the fact they can't seem to keep their hands off each other for two minutes? I caught them in the lab again...they were kind of intense," Irma said rubbing her arms uncomfortably as she recalled the memory of Mikey pinning Maya against the wall as they explored each other's mouths.

Isla was quiet as she listened to the group express their concern for team M&M. The mermaid smiled as she realized what was happening.

Leo noticed the knowing look on the woman's face before he asked, "Isla please...if you know something, tell us."

The mermaid sighed before she said, "This one knows exactly what's going on…Do you wish to hear the good news or the bad news first?"

"Good news," Everyone said instantly.

"Michelangelo and Maya have not hit maturity so they have yet to mate," Isla said smiling as the teens all sighed in relief.

"However, they are experiencing their first heat cycle which indicates that their bodies have begun entering maturity," the mermaid said trying not to laugh at the horrified faces of Leo, Raph and Don.

"What's the difference between the heat and mating cycle?" Irma asked.

Isla explained, "The heat cycle can happen between mates who have bonded with their one before maturity. Although physically they're bodies develop normally, more mature emotions awaken. These emotions in turn cause their bodies to reach adulthood prematurely. It usually lasts about a week once a month depending on the intensity of their shared emotions. As for the mating cycle…well this one believes the name speaks for itself."

The three brothers looked like they were ready to burst into tears as Karai asked, "So the heat cycle is basically preparing Mikey and Maya emotionally to bond physically to one another."

"Precisely. Once they have gone through their first mating cycle, their emotional desires will balance with their physical desires thus ending the heat cycles," Isla explained gently.

"What do we do in the mean time?" Casey asked.

"For now, we must let the heat cycle take its course. Give them lots of space to explore their bond and don't take any of their hostility personally. Right now, their mind set is very territorial so they will have difficulty distinguishing friend from foe," the mermaid instructed.

The red masked turtle tried to hide the hurt expression on his face as he asked, "Mikey would really try to hurt his own family if we got to close?"

Isla chuckled a little before she replied, "You wish."

Raph gave the woman a confused look before Isla said, "I said they would have difficulty distinguishing _friend_ from foe. We are always and forever bonded to our pod, it is just as strong as a bond to a mate. So, don't be surprised if he becomes a little bit more…attached to you all then normal."

"I don't like where this is going?" Leo groaned.

Isla gave Leo an annoyed look before she said, "Just remember that while he is in a state where he trusts no one he will cling to you four to keep him grounded because you are his pod. You are the only ones he will allow near Maya while in this state. When his emotions become to much he will need you to calm him. Most importantly _never_ wander to far from his reach. This will be difficult enough for him not being able to reach Splinter but if he cannot find his siblings, he will become extremely frightened and suffer anxieties unlike anything you could possibly imagine. Does this one make herself clear?"

The Hamato siblings nodded their heads without a second thought. There was never a question of whether they would follow Isla's advice or not. If Mikey needed them then they would be there for him, it was as simple as that.

"What about us? Can we still be around them?" April asked feeling a little heart broken.

Isla rested a hand on the red head's shoulder before she replied, "Of course you can still be around them. Just let them come to you first when you are near them. Once they realize you aren't a threat they will know you are a friend regardless of what state of mind they are in."

"We'll do whatever it takes," Casey said giving April's shoulder a gentle squeeze.

At that moment, the sound of the door opening and closing caught everyone's attention. They all listened as hurried footsteps came up the stairs before team M&M themselves appeared in front of them. It didn't go unnoticed to any of them that the mermaid and the orange masked turtle looked relieved to find them.

"Dudes, would it kill you to answer your phones?" Mikey lightly scolded.

Leo took that moment to see that Mikey had tried calling him over a dozen times, left even more text messages, and filled up his voice mail.

"Sorry about that little brother. I left it on silent," Leo replied genuinely remorseful of causing Mikey to think that his family disappeared on him.

"Found you now so it's all good," Mikey replied as he walked over to the bed where Donny and Raph were sitting before jumping onto it and landing comfortably between his two big brothers.

The older turtles gave their baby brother annoyed looks but neither one stopped Mikey from sandwiching himself between his older brothers. Meanwhile, Maya was quite happy to cuddle her nephew as Isla began playing with the younger mermaid's hair. A practice they all knew happened to calm the girl when she was upset.

"What have you two been up to all morning? You missed breakfast," Karai asked with an amused look on her face.

Mikey and Maya glanced at each other with secretive smiles before they both replied, "Training."

"What's with having a secret meeting without us?" Mikey asked.

Karai thought fast before she replied, "If we could find you then you would have been invited. We were just talking about what to make of Vixen and Alopex."

It had been a week since the fiasco with the monster pretending to be April's and the long-lost aunt that saved them all. April had pleaded with them to stay at the farm house but Vixen was adamant that it was no longer her home but a place that held painful memories of her past. It broke April's heart when her aunt told her that she needed to keep her distance. She didn't want to accidently lead the Krang to her and the turtles but she would be watching over them from the trees. After that both foxes disappeared and hadn't been seen since.

"This one is not concerned. She has a feeling they will not stay away for long," Maya said confidently.

"Agreed. There is no doubt that they will be great allies to us," Isla added.

Everyone seemed to agree except for Miwa who seemed very doubtful. She didn't like how familiar this woman felt while at the same time being extremely mysterious.

"She's not telling us the whole truth. Something tells me that she's hiding something from us," Miwa admitted.

"Of course, she's been alone for sixteen years. She's not going to just tell us everything in one shot," April said defending her aunt.

"It used to be my job to sniff out lies and know when someone was hiding something from me. I get the same feeling off her that I used to get off Shredder when he spoke of my mother. This woman…she's hiding something big and I feel it in my gut that it has something to do with father. I for one want to know what," Miwa explained trying to be sensitive to the fact that this was April's family.

"Trying to force it out of her isn't going to get us anywhere. We need to earn her trust," Leo chimed in.

"Easier said then done. We have to find them first," Casey commented.

"I think I can help with that."

Everyone turned their heads to the bedroom window when they heard the new voice. They were all stunned as they stared at none other then Alopex sitting contently on the open window sill.

"Where the hell did you come from?" Raph asked looking surprised.

Alopex gave him an unreadable expression before she replied sarcastically, "This may come as a shock to you…but I came in through the window."

"How long have you been sitting there exactly?" Leo asked.

The fox shrugged her shoulders before she replied, "Somewhere in the middle of the weirdest sex talk I have ever heard in my life."

Isla tried desperately to keep a straight face at the confused faces of team M&M while the rest of the teens looked extremely embarrassed. The mermaid decided that the conversation had gotten way off topic and needed to be redirected immediately.

"Child, does your mother know that you are here?" Isla asked.

Alopex looked sheepishly at the mermaid before she replied, "She technically knows that I went out…I just failed to mention where I was going."

"Somehow, this one doesn't think that is going to go over well," Isla commented.

The fox stared at Isla defiantly before she said, "It's her own fault. I'm tired of lurking in shadows and being afraid all the time. I finally get to learn a little bit about where I come from, find my family, meet _people,_ and she wants me to stay away…well that's just unreasonable."

Raph couldn't help but be impressed by the girl's rebellious nature. He gave he fox a smirk before he commented, "Gotta admit, I like the way this one thinks."

"Of course, you do Raph," Donny mumbled in a bored tone earning a glare from the red masked turtle and a chuckle from their baby brother.

Leo chose to ignore his brothers and instead focused his attention on Alopex before he said, "We could really use your help. Your mom lived in Dimension X, she could be the key to getting the upper hand on the Krang. Maybe with her help, we could have a chance to get our home back and save Kirby."

Alopex was quiet as she looked over at April for a few minutes before turning back to Leo and replied, "Okay I'll help."

"Just like that?" Miwa asked suspiciously.

The fox looked over at her before she smiled and said, "Yes. I'm tired of these things hurting our family. If there's even a chance that we can save what's left of the O'Neill family then I'm willing to take it."

Everyone in the room was taken back by the bluntness this girl possessed. It was clear that this girl had no fear of speaking her mind. They all couldn't help wondering if this was a family trait.

Alopex looked over at April and smiled before she added, "I know mom fears leaving of the woods because of our mutation. She is terrified of what could happen to us if the Krang found out we are still alive...but I would bet my life on it that if she knew that Kirby needed her help she would risk it all to get him back. She would never want you and your dad to go through what we did, the thing that gave her comfort was knowing that you guys had a chance to live a normal life."

April returned the smile before she made her way across the room and wrapped her arms around her long-lost cousin's neck.

"Thank you," the red head mumbled into the soft white fur.

Alopex returned the hug and shrugged her shoulders before she replied, "We're family, supporting each other is what we do besides drive each other to the brink of insanity."

…

Alopex explained that if they wanted to talk to Vixen they would have to go to her in the forest. Karai agreed to stay behind with Casey and Maya to guard the farm while the turtles, April and Alopex went to find the elder fox.

The group walked in a comfortable silence as they trekked through the woods. Raph couldn't help feeling especially comfortable walking beside the white fox at the front of the group. He didn't know what it was but for some reason in her presence he just felt…calm.

April who had been walking on Alopex's right side quickly noticed the red masked turtle's relaxed demeaner and smiled. It was rare to see Raph comfortable around new people and it made her happy to see that he may find a potentially positive friend in the form of the fox.

Donny on the other hand apparently didn't feel the same way about the forest. He rubbed his arm nervously before he turned to Alopex and said, "I feel like we've walked past this area before. You sure we're going the right way."

Alopex patiently turned her gaze to Donny before she gently replied, "The woods can be a dizzying place to navigate if you've never done it before. Don't worry, I was born in this forest and know it like the back of my hand. I won't let you get lost."

That seemed to relax the purple masked turtle slightly but it was clear that he would still rather be in the confines of his laboratory then out in the open of a strange unfamiliar environment.

"It really is beautiful out here. You must have had a blast playing here as a kid, with the whole forest as your playground," April commented trying to make conversation.

"Training out here would have been more interesting with so many places to hide," Leo added as his imagination created hundreds of different training scenarios that he would love to do out here with his siblings.

Alopex nodded her head before she said, "May have been a little lonely having no one my age let alone other mutants nearby but it certainly was never boring and I certainly wouldn't say I had the _whole_ forest to myself…After all, there are hunters and larger predators to worry about."

When the fox noticed, everyone staring at her, she stopped and moved some fur on her left side to reveal a scar that distinctly looked like a bullet wound.

She saw Raph staring at it before she smiled at him and replied, "It may be unconventional but I can't think of a better way to motivate ninja skills quite like dodging bullets from a hunter's gun."

Donny quickly assessed the old wound and said, "This is old…several years old in fact."

"I was twelve and cocky. Took mother hours to find me before she could tend the wound. Not the first and certainly not the last," Alopex explained.

It was an enlightening moment for the four Hamato brothers to hear the girl's tale. After all, as much as they thought they had it hard as children, they were always together. It was frightening enough to get hurt knowing they couldn't go to a hospital, but to be hurt and alone…the idea of it was something they couldn't comprehend.

The fox quickly noticed that she was making her new friends uncomfortable. Alopex was proud of her battle scars but her lack of socializing left her ignorant to the fact that not everyone felt the same about them as she did. She quickly pushed her fur over her scar before suggesting they keep moving if they wanted to find Vixen and make it back before dark.

As they walked Alopex turned to April before she asked, "What's New York City like? I've never been to town, never mind something as big as a city."

The red head smiled at the fox before she descried the sights, sounds, and smells. The turtles couldn't help but smirk at the look of wonder of the fox's face that they usually only saw in tourists.

She quickly turned to Raph before she asked, "Do you also live in the city?"

Raph tried to find the right words before Mikey answered for him and said, "Technically we live under the city, in the sewers underground."

"What's a sewer?" Alopex asked curiously shocked that it was possible to live underground.

Before Mikey could give one of his elegant answers, Raph quickly covered his mouth before he said, "Trust me, ya don't want to know."

The red masked turtle wasn't sure why but for some reason he found the idea of Alopex knowing that they lived in a place where people flushed their waste was embarrassing. The fox only shrugged and was about to suggest they keep going until a figure dropped down in front of them preventing them from going any further.

Alopex gulped slightly as she quickly recognized the terrifying form of her irritated mother glaring daggers at her. The younger fox dropped her ears as she looked up at her mother sheepishly.

"I can explain," Alopex said quickly hoping to ease her mother's anger even just a little.

The elder fox was silent but no words needed to be spoken. Her body language spoke volumes of how furious she was at her kit. The turtles cringed at the glare the woman was wearing on her face as April stood in front Alopex, facing Vixen head on.

"Please don't be mad. We needed to speak to you," April pleaded.

"None of you should be here. I thought I made it clear that me being near you was to dangerous," Vixen scolded.

The red head held her hands up in surrender before she replied, "I know you did but we're desperate… _I'm_ desperate."

Vixen stared at her niece stoically before she sighed, "Alright explain."

"The night you saved us I never told you why we were here," April admitted which quickly intrigued the fox.

"Go on," Vixen said.

"The Krang have taken over New York City. We found out about their plans to late and couldn't stop them before they could attack. Not only did we lose our home that night…but we lost loved ones as well, including dad."

At the mention of the Krang, Vixen shot back aggressively. When she found out about those monsters harming her brother, the fox gave a feral growl.

"Donny and Irma have been using my DNA and Maya's blood to make a retro mutagen. It can save everyone that has been turned by the Krang…but we need help to get our home back," April explained.

Vixen felt torn as she began pacing in front of the children. Purposely coming out of hiding to reveal the existence of both herself and her daughter was the last thing she wanted to do. One the other hand however…she couldn't stop thinking about the first time she came to America with her father.

 _…_

 _Emily gripped her father's hand tightly as they approached the small house. An angry looking woman glared at her from the porch as the red headed nine-year-old bounced beside her looking excited. As they got closer the woman sneered at the little girl before she walked into the house and slammed the door behind her. Emily looked up at her father with terrified eyes before the man squeezed her shoulder comfortingly and followed the woman inside._

 _The little girl felt terrified as she stared at the door and listened to the angry yelling coming from inside the house._

 _Kirby quickly noticed how scared she was before he turned and grabbed something off the chair before he walked over and knelt in front of her. Emily didn't know what to make of the older boy and quickly took a step away from him._

 _"_ _Kon'nichiwa, Emily," the boy said surprising the little girl._

 _When she didn't answer, Kirby rubbed the back of his head before he mumbled, "I hope I said that right…I don't even know if you understand English."_

 _Emily couldn't help but smile as she watched the boy become suddenly nervous before she said, "That was very good...and I do speak English if that helps."_

 _The boy in front of her instantly lit up before he gave a playful sigh of relief and replied, "That's great! I was worried I would have to go get dad to translate everything."_

 _Emily couldn't help giggling before she said, "I could teach you Japanese if you like."_

 _"I would love that," he said and smiled at the sight of seeing the little girl more relaxed before he looked up as if remembering something important._

 _The boy reached down and picked up a bouquet of colourful daisies and handed it to Emily before he said, "Before we do anything else though this needs to happen."_

 _A surprised Emily accepted the flowers as the older boy put his hands gently on her shoulders and said, "Emily, my name is Kirby and I'm your big brother. I know it took a long time to meet but from now on I promise, it's gonna be my job to take care of you, okay?"_

 _The little girl was speechless. Up until now she didn't really have any friends and all her relatives were mean to her and her mama. Now, this boy was promising to be her big brother…it was like a dream come true._

 _Emily had big tears running down her cheeks as she nodded her head before she ran up to Kirby and wrapped her tiny arms around his neck._

 _Kirby quickly hugged his little sister back before he whispered, "No more tears Emmy, I've got you."_

 _…_

Vixen quickly wiped a tear away before she turned to face the children once more looking more determined then ever. She spared a glance towards her daughter who was currently giving her a foxy smile already knowing her mother's decision.

The fox then turned to April before she said, "I suppose now is good a time as any to stop being a coward and finish this once and for all."

April's face lit up with a smile that very much reminded Emily of Kirby before the red head launched herself at her aunt and hugged her tight.

…

The group was relaxed as they returned to the farm house. Alopex was happy to listen to Donny explain how he was creating a retro mutagen. When they entered the house however, there was a tension in the home that was almost to overwhelming to bare.

Leo was the first to enter cautiously before he called out, "Guys we're back…we brought Vixen."

As if on que, Miwa walked down the stairs with her katana unsheathed and a deadly expression on her face. The girl spared Leo a glance before she made her way over to Vixen and aimed her blade at the fox's heart.

"What the hell are you doing?" April demanded as she grabbed Miwa's arm to stop her from attacking her aunt any further.

Miwa didn't pay April any attention but continued to glare at the former human before she said, "I knew you were hiding something important from us."

Vixen stared at the girl calmly before she asked, "What is it that is so important that you think I have kept from you?"

Miwa put her katana down before she held up Emily's journal. She pulled out a page before she held it up to Vixen and demanded, "Explain why you failed to mention that you intimately knew our father, Hamato Yoshi.

* * *

So sorry for the delay guys I'm doing a bit of a juggling act lately. Try to update soon. Please don't forget to review and let me know what you think!


	7. Chapter 7

I am sooooo sorry everyone! June has been crazy with last month of school with my toddler class, getting engaged and packing to move across Canada . . Next chapter might be late to but I am still writing so stay tuned team M&M fans!

* * *

"Where did you find that?" Vixen asked trying desperately to control her emotions as her eyes fixed on the journal.

She thought she had long since grieved for the life that was viciously robbed from her. However, staring at the photograph of Emily with a bright smile standing beside her dear friend Yoshi, she couldn't help as her throat tightened.

Miwa was taken back by the fox's reaction to seeing the photograph but she would not let it distract her from finding out the truth.

"It doesn't matter where I found it. I want to know who you were to my father," the girl demanded looking livid.

When the fox didn't answer the girl growled before she ranted, "You wrote about how you had feelings for father. You said it broke your heart every time he went back to my mother…just tell me, did he-…were you his mistress?"

Vixen stood in shock at the bold accusation, she watched as Miwa turned her gaze towards Alopex and tears formed in her eyes.

"Is that girl also father's daughter?" Miwa asked trying to hold back tears.

Vixen hesitated to tell her tale only because of how much pain it caused her. Seeing the girl's heart break right in front of her gave her the strength to save the image Miwa had of her father.

She slowly took a step towards Miwa before she gently said, "There is much more to this story then you have read. Please let me explain…"

The girl took Vixen's hesitation as an admission of guilt and quickly stepped away from the fox. She shook her head horrified before she said, "I can't listen to this."

Before anyone could stop her, Miwa stormed off surprising them all. The ninja was always known for running towards the unknown not away from it. The Hamato brothers watched their sister until she was out of sight before looking at the rest of their clan helplessly.

…

Miwa didn't stop running until she was at the edge of the forest before she started pacing. She was embarrassed that she had run away from the truth but more then that she feared how she would look at her father once she knew it.

"Coward," she scolded to herself as she continued to pace.

Her trustworthy instincts told her that not all was what it appeared and that she should've listened to what Vixen had to say. It was at this moment more then ever she wished Splinter was there to tell her the truth. He had promised her when she rejoined her family that he would never lie to her or her brothers.

Suddenly an idea appeared in her mind and determination once again filled Miwa's heart to find out the truth. The girl stopped her pacing before she sat on the ground and crossed her legs. She then took a deep breath before closing her eyes to meditate.

It was through a relaxed state of body and mind that she once spoke with Tang Shen in a purgatory of sorts that allowed the living to speak with the dead. Before the invasion, Splinter had been trying to teach her the art of channeling through mediation to speak to her mother. So far, she had been unsuccessful with her attempts and it was becoming maddening.

"You are over thinking child. Close your thoughts and open your mind," Splinter had told her many times during their meditation sessions.

With her father's advice noted, Miwa continued to take shallow breaths and let her mind drift as if she was falling asleep. She felt everything around her go quiet and still before the sound of a stream suddenly filled her ears along with the sound of a woman humming.

Miwa's eyes snapped open and she smiled when she saw the familiar garden where she had first spoken with her mother. She looked over her right shoulder to see Tang Shen sitting a table wearing a gentle smile as she continued to hum.

"Congratulations Miwa. You've finally stopped thinking," Tang Shen gently teased her daughter before taking a sip of her tea.

The teen looked at her mother in surprise before she made her way towards the table and took a seat in front of the other woman. She looked around and quickly noticed with relief that she didn't see Splinter there with them.

"Expecting someone?" Tang Shen asked curiously.

The teen looked at her mother before she replied, "I just don't know if I should feel relieved or worried that I'm not seeing dad here."

Tang Shen looked at her daughter confused before she asked, "Why would your father be here? Has something happened?"

Miwa looked at her mother surprised before she replied, "I thought you would already know."

"My love we may be able to check in here and there but it doesn't mean we know everything. Your father hasn't contacted me in some time so please tell me, what's happened?" Tang Shen said sounding slightly desperate.

Miwa sighed before she told her mother about New York being taken over by the Krang. She went on to tell her about how she and the turtles watched Splinter disappear before their eyes after the fight between he and Oroku Saki.

Tang Shen put a hand on her chest over her heart before she quietly said, "I knew I had felt something wrong…but I had no idea it had anything to do with Yoshi."

Even though she knew Miwa could not feel her, Tang Shen placed a hand on her daughter's hand before she asked, "Are you and your brothers alright?"

Miwa sighed before she replied, "Well we almost lost Leo but thank whoever is watching over this family that he pulled through. Now we're all just kind of feeling lost and trying to figure out what our next move is…"

Tang Shen's heart broke for her children and the clan they had built together as she listened to the horrors they were forced to endure. They were just children but here they were fighting a war that was never theirs to fight in the first place. It was so very wrong in so many ways. She feared that if this war didn't claim their lives then it would surely cost them their innocence and their humanity.

Miwa noticed her mother being especially quiet and looked up to see the woman looking upset. The teen smiled at her mother reassuringly before she said, "We're okay mom…I promise. We might be young but we're tougher then we look."

Tang Shen smiled at her daughter before she replied, "That does not ever stop a mother from worrying about her children…or a woman from being concerned about the man she loves."

Miwa smiled sadly at her mother as she remembered why she had come in the first place. She hesitated out of fear of hurting her mother but she had come to far to finding the truth to stop now.

With fists clenched tightly Miwa said "Mom…there's something else that's happened and I need you to be honest with me when I ask you this."

Tang Shen gave her daughter a worried look before she nodded her head before the teen asked, "Did dad have an affair?"

To say that the older woman was taken back by the question was an understatement. It took Tang Shen a moment to get over the shock before she asked, "Child, what in heavens name makes you think your father would ever cheat on his family?"

Miwa started to look upset before she explained, "We met someone where we're hiding…she was friends with father and you in Japan…mama, she was in love with father."

It took only a moment for Tang Shen to know who her daughter was speaking of before her face broke out into a wide grin.

"Emily! She _is_ alive, thank goodness," the woman sighed in relief as tears formed in her eyes.

It was Miwa's turn to look surprised at her mother before she asked, "Did you not hear me say she was in love with father?"

Miwa would have gone on to rant further but she stopped with Tang Shen calmly replied, "I know child. I've always known how she felt about him."

The teen was stunned as she whispered, "How?"

"Emily told me herself after your father and I started dating. She took me aside one day and told me she had never loved anyone in her life the way she loved him and that it was painful to see him loving another woman," Tang Shen explained.

"What did you do?" Miwa asked.

"I remember being so upset when she admitted that to me because we were already losing Saki as a friend over this love, I didn't want to lose another dear friend. I didn't know what to do or say to her so I just started crying. Then Emily did something that I certainly wasn't expecting my rival in love to do in a million years…she comforted me," Tang Shen said thinking back on that moment with great warmth.

 _Tang Shen said nothing as tears streamed down her face. She feared this would be the moment that she would have to choose between her love of Yoshi and her love of Emily. The young woman looked up as she felt warm hands on her face and gazed upon her friend smiling at her with warmth and love._

 _As Emily wiped away Tang Shen's tears she gently said, "It breaks my heart that I can never tell Yoshi my feelings but I have a small consolation. I am grateful that of all the woman in the world, I am losing Yoshi to a good woman that I highly respect…there is no doubt in my mind that you will bring more joy and love then I could ever hope to."_

 _"Why did you tell this to me?" Tang Shen asked._

 _Emily smiled sadly before she replied, "Other then Yoshi…you're really my only friend in Japan. You've both been my only family here since mother died. I want you both to be happy and I will do everything in my power to protect that happiness."_

 _Tang Shen burst into tears once again before she crushed Emily against her chest in a hug which was quickly returned by the other girl._

 _They stayed that way for some time before Emily giggled and asked, "Are you ever going to stop crying and let me go?"_

 _"I'll stop crying when I'm damn good and ready! Shut up and enjoy the moment!" Tang Shen said as she sobbed and laughed at the same time._

Tang Shen wiped away a lone tear that had managed to slip down her cheek before she said, "Yoshi searched for her tirelessly after the fire amongst the living while I looked amongst the dead. We were both devastated when we couldn't find her and feared what had become of her."

"Did father ever find out about Emily loving him?" the teen asked.

The older woman shook her head before she replied, "Emily made me swear that I would never tell Yoshi and I doubt she would ever tell him."

Miwa stayed quiet for a while before she looked up at her mother and whispered, "I'm such an idiot."

"You simply misunderstood child. It does not make you a fool," Tang Shen replied gently.

The teen shook her head before she said, "You don't understand she has a daughter and I…accused her of having an affair with father and her daughter being the proof of it."

Miwa was consumed with guilt as she recalled the awful things she had said to the woman. It sickened her that she reduced herself to the same level of accusing as the Shredder himself. Her moment of self loathing was cut short when she heard stifled laughter and looked up to glare at her mother.

"So, glad you find my misery a source of amusement mother," Miwa said.

"I am sorry it's just…well Yoshi is a very lazy man. It is just difficult to picture him taking the time and energy to go through the process to have an affair when he was always wither training or watching soap operas with me," Tang Shen explained.

Miwa gave her mother a deadpanned expression before she replied, "Please tell me you're joking."

"Nope. I'd tease him about how he was the only man I knew who watched soap operas and he would defend himself by with _'Watching soap operas is extremely manly. Trust me, I'm a man I know these things.'_

Miwa chuckled at her mother's impersonation of Splinter before she looked at her mother sadly and said, "I've made a horrible mistake."

Tang Shen smiled at her daughter as she rose from her chair. She made her way over to Miwa before kneeling in front of her.

"What will you do about it?" Tang Shen asked.

The girl looked at her mother with determination and said, "I will do what it takes to make it right."

"That's my girl," the woman replied proudly wishing desperately that for just a moment she could hold her child again.

Before Miwa could say anything else, her vision went dark. One moment she was staring at the smiling face of her mother, then she blinked and she was suddenly staring at the farmhouse. She felt exhausted from trying to hold the connection with her mother but wished she could have held on long enough to say goodbye to her.

"Till next time mama," Miwa whispered comforted by the fact that that moment was not the last she would share with her mother.

The teen tried to stand but a dizzy spell sent her right back down again. She grumbled at her body's lack of co-operation when she noticed that she was not alone. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed a paw offered to her and looked up to see a very unexpected visitor.

"Need a hand," Alopex offered as she smiled kindly at the other girl.

Miwa humbly took her paw before the fox helped her to her feet. Alopex held Miwa's arm steady as she gave her a moment to regain her strength to stand steady.

"You were out for a long time. Are you alright?" the fox asked as she let go of Karai's arm.

Miwa nodded her head before she explained, "I was just in a deep meditation…rough landing coming back in."

Alopex chuckled before she said, "I've done that before. Got a few nice nosebleeds while learning some intense meditation techniques…mom says I think to much."

Miwa smiled for a moment at the fox but it quickly disappeared at the mention of Vixen. She couldn't imagine what this girl thought of her after the horrible things she had accused her mother of earlier that day.

The teen was quiet for a moment before she looked at Alopex and said, "So…I'm guessing you followed me out here to chew me out."

Alopex looked at the girl with an unreadable expression before she replied, "I'd love to rip you a new one for treating my mom like that in front of everyone don't get me wrong…but I don't blame you."

The teen looked over at the fox in surprise before Alopex said, "The truth is…I think for a moment we were all thinking the same thing. My mom never told me about my dad, he was a touchy subject for her. I never stopped thinking about him though, wondering if there was even a small possibility that I could meet him some day."

Both girls stood in silence before Miwa was finally brave enough to break it and whispered, "I'm sorry."

"I'm not," Alopex replied with a smile before she moved her hand to Miwa to reveal a different journal.

"This is the journal my mom kept while she was with my father. She finally found the courage to tell us about him," the fox explained offering it to Miwa to read.

It was like reading a beautifully tragic love story. They had met shortly after Emily moved to New York and married a year later. Patrick was her soul mate, the pair brought out the best in each other. The way Emily descried her love for her husband was far more intense then anything she had ever written about Splinter.

They wanted a family right away and tried for six months to have a child but it always ended with a miscarriage. The doctor told them Emily had endometriosis and the likelihood of her having children was extremely slim which left them both devastated.

Patrick became depressed as he was presented with the ultimatum to give up his dream of being a father to stay with his wife or move on and try to start over with someone new. It was Emily that made the decision for him, she wanted the man she loved to be happy even if it wasn't with her. Losing Hamato Yoshi was difficult but to lose Patrick…that nearly destroyed her.

"It was just after that when Kirby moved us all out here to start over. Mom had no idea that she had a bun in the oven at the time…she thought it was her illness making her sick," Alopex explained as she pulled out a photo of her parents on their wedding day.

"He's handsome," Miwa commented as she saw the picture.

It was clear that the couple had no idea that their picture was being taken as they sat at their wedding table looking at each other as if they were the only two people in the room.

"I want to find him…I want him to know I exist," Alopex said sounding determined.

Miwa nodded her head knowing all to well the feeling of needing to find one's family before she replied, "I'm sure Donny could help find out if he still lives in New York."

In that moment, the fox and the human looked at each other and smiled. A comfortable silence surrounded the pair as they enjoyed each other's company both happy to have found a friend that could understand them.

…

Vixen was pacing on the porch when the two girls returned to the farm house. She couldn't help smiling at how at ease the pair were as they approached her. They stopped at the bottom of the stairs when they saw Vixen standing in front of them. For a moment, nobody moved until Alopex decided that the pair needed to space to talk.

The fox stared at the teen before her desperately thinking of something to say. It was Miwa however that spoke up first.

"I'm sorry…I jumped to conclusions without giving you a chance to defend yourself. That wasn't fair of me," Miwa said as she stared at the ground.

"You have nothing to be sorry about," Vixen quickly replied.

Miwa shook her head and stared at the ground she said, "No. It was none of my business to pry and I ended up forcing you to remember unnecessary pain."

Vixen sighed before she walked down the stairs towards the teenager. The fox cupped Miwa's chin and forced her to look at her before she gave the girl a warm smile.

"The only thing you forced me to do was to stop being afraid and running away from my past. If anything, I should be thanking you," Vixen said gently.

Miwa returned the smile before she asked, "Can we start over?"

"I think we can make something happen," Vixen replied.

* * *

All done for now. Don't forget to review the lady!


	8. Chapter 8

I'm baaaaaaaaaack. After driving two days with a cat, waiting for my stuff and finally the internet, the hubby to be and I have are finally settled (took a month but we did it). Enough about me though. ON WITH THE STORY!

* * *

Vixen and Alopex found their place in the Hamato clan almost instantly. Alopex was overwhelmed at first being included in whatever the teens were doing at the time. It was hard to tell if it was because she was a year younger then the rest of the group or because it was her first time socializing with other people.

It was Raph and Miwa who had made her feel the most comfortable since they both understood best about her need for space. Before long the fox was completely relaxed around the rest of the teens much to their delight.

As for Vixen, she had quickly found a friend in Isla. Even on the first night that the two foxes had begun staying at the farm house, the two women would stay up late into the night just talking. The fox had even offered to continue everyone's training from where Splinter left off since it was as second nature to her as it was to Hamato Yoshi. She had quickly fallen in love with all the children and was more then happy to tell them all about what Splinter was like when he was human.

In no time at all, Vixen had built a strong bond with each of the children and earned their respect. She had gone out of her way to get to know them individually and made time to not only train as a group but also one on one so she could personalize their training.

The one thing that the two foxes had found odd was team M&M's behaviour. Isla had to explain to them about the young couple's heat cycle. It was thankfully near the end of the heat cycle but according to Isla it would be the most intense part of it.

Where Mikey and Maya's odd behaviour was endearing before was becoming almost unbearable. The pair had made April, Casey, and Irma so uncomfortable that they couldn't even go near Mikey, Miwa, the turtles, Isla or the baby without team M&M hissing at them and glaring. The awkward discovery of the young couple in the middle of intense intimacy was also becoming for frequent.

Worst of all was that their clinginess to their siblings was now at an all-time high. The turtles had been forced to sleep in one pile of blankets and pillows so that Mikey didn't wake up in the middle of the night with a blood curdling scream for his family. They even had to wait till he woke up to move in the morning just so he would know they were all there.

Leo made the mistake of getting up to go to the bathroom the one morning and came back to seeing his baby brother having a full-on anxiety attack when he couldn't find his oldest brother. It took over an hour of him clinging to Leo while being comforted by his other siblings before he would calm down and breath properly.

Maya had become extremely possessive of her pod sister and nephew. If Isla had to leave the house for anything, she had to give Maya an extremely detailed explanation of where she was going and what time she would be returning. If Isla wasn't back at the house at the exact moment that she had promised she would be back then Maya would become very aggressive.

One afternoon she told Maya that she would be back by 4:00pm sharp. Due to a busy grocery store and traffic, the mermaid came home half an hour late. When she did get home, Miwa was waiting for her with a grim expression and torn clothing. Apparently, they had to restrain Maya from leaving the farm on a rampage in her mermaid form to search for her sister and nephew. In turn, the turtles had to restrain Mikey because he thought they were hurting his mate. Long story short it was a mess that day and it was decided that the humans would be the ones to make trips until the heat cycle was over.

As much as everyone understood that the pair were not themselves, it was getting to the point where even Isla didn't know how much more she could take.

"I need to get out of this house…this is worse then when Splinter grounds us from going topside," Raph said as he rubbed the back of his neck in aggravation.

Team M&M was upstairs in Mikey's room reading comic books while everyone else was downstairs taking a much-needed break from the pair.

"We're all frustrated Raph. There's not much we can do until the damn heat cycle is over…I don't want either one of them having another panic attack," Leo said still feeling guilty over causing Mikey to be that distressed.

"Should be out of their system in another day or two," Isla said trying to be reassuring despite her own irritation at the situation.

"Ya for now. Then it starts all over again same time next month," Donny added with a grumble.

Miwa gave a mischievous smirk before she replied, "We could always get them to play a little game of seven minutes in heaven upstairs."

The look of horror on the turtles' faces didn't go unnoticed as she sipped her tea and added, "Might be doing it right now already for all we know."

The three turtles quickly looked over to Isla looking disturbed. The mermaid rolled her eyes before she assured them that nothing of the sort was happening upstairs.

"We do not want them mating before maturity. It can be damaging to both their bodies and their bond," Isla commented.

Vixen and Alopex sat quietly as they listened to their new friends debate on what to do about their situation which they couldn't help but find amusing.

"Here I thought our family had issues," Vixen mumbled.

"Jokes on you lady. You've already been apart of this circus long before we got here," Casey replied with a smirk.

The fox glared at the teen playfully before turning her attention back to the conversation at hand. Try as they may the group was lost for any kind of idea on what to do about their team M&M problem. Little did they know however that their conversation was being overheard by none other then the dynamic duo themselves.

Mikey and Maya had come downstairs to get something to eat when they noticed everyone in the living room. The pair had felt their heat cycle ending much to their relief and decided to sneak some leftover pizza to celebrate finally feeling back to normal.

Maya felt her chest constrict with guilt before she looked at Mikey and said, 'They have been all working very hard for us.'

'We have been kind of needy' the orange masked turtle replied feeling bad for making his brothers put up with his clinginess.

Team M&M watched as their family struggled when the pair suddenly came up with an idea.

…

The sun had barely risen in the sky when the turtle and the mermaid awoke. The pair had decided to give their pod and clan a well earned break from them for the day. They quickly and quietly made themselves enough food for the day before writing a quick note to tell everyone where they'd gone.

Dear Fam,

We know we've been kind of hard to deal with lately. We're both grateful and sorry for making you put up with everything.

We are happy to say the heat cycle is over! To say thanks we decided to disappear for the day so that you guys can have some peace and quiet. We'll be back by dinner.

Love Team M&M.

Mikey looked over his mate's shoulder to see the note she'd written before nodding his head approvingly.

"We should probably leave it on the table. It'll be the first place they look," the turtle suggested knowing his brothers would be on edge the minute they woke up and couldn't find them.

"If they don't find it then this one is sure they will have Isla contact us," Maya said as she placed the note on the table.

The pair quickly made sure they had everything they needed before they quietly stepped out of the house. Mikey and Maya gasped in delight as the sight of the bright orange sunrise greeted them. They took it as a sign that today was going to be a great day.

After admiring it for a few minutes Mikey grabbed Maya's hand and asked, "You ready?"

The mermaid smiled brightly as she nodded her head. She squeezed her mate's hand back before they set off on their day date. It was maybe ten minutes after the young lovers left that Isla woke up to a very quiet kitchen with her son.

"That's odd," Isla said out loud to herself.

Normally she would be greeted by her pod sister and her mate at this hour making breakfast for everyone. It didn't take the mermaid long to find the note and smiled fondly at it.

"Those two can be quite thoughtful when they aren't pulling those silly pranks of theirs," Isla commented to her son who responded by babbling incoherently at his mother.

The young mother giggled as she left the note where she found it to start a pot of coffee. Isla went through her normal morning routine of feeding Caspian and herself, enjoying the peaceful morning alone. When she was done she quickly wrote her own note before grabbing the grocery list off the fridge.

"Perhaps you and mama will have a little date of our own little one. What do you think?" Isla said to her child.

'Car!' Caspian cried excitedly through the link he shared with his mother.

"Yes, sweet boy. We will go in the car," Isla chuckled as she grabbed her son's diaper bag along with her child and left the house.

…

Donny woke up to the sound of the engine in the van roaring to life. He had been expecting this since Isla told them yesterday that she would be leaving early to go grocery shopping.

The turtle was reluctant to wake up since he was up late working on the retro mutagen with Irma. He along with the others had been hesitant as of late to go downstairs when team M&M was around while they were in heat, especially if they were alone.

After his bladder had eventually won out, the purple masked turtle grumbled as he made his way to the bathroom to take care of his business. With a sigh, Donny made his way down the stairs when the sweet smell of coffee was to tempting to resist. When he walked into the kitchen, the tech savvy turtle was shocked. Donny was greeted by an empty room aside from a table of food and a full pot of coffee left from Isla.

"Mikey and Maya must have gone shopping with Isla today," Donny thought out loud.

The turtle shrugged his shoulders before he poured himself a cup of coffee and made his way back to the table to help himself to some breakfast. Still only half awake it was no surprise that Leo managed to sneak up behind him. Donny was rubbing his eyes at the same time as a sleepy Leo walked in. The two brothers accidently walked into each other causing Donny stop spill his coffee not only on himself and Leo but also on the kitchen table where two notes were left.

"Good morning to you to Donny," Leo winced as the hot liquid touched his plastron.

"Hot! Coffee hot!" Donny cried as he ran to the stove to grab the dish cloth to clean down his front.

"In other news; the sky is blue and the sun rose today. Now to April Showers for the weather," Casey teased as he and the red head walked into the kitchen.

April couldn't help giggling along with Leo while Donny glared at the human boy in irritation.

"Ha, Ha…very funny Jones," the purple masked turtle grumbled before he noticed they were down a human.

"Where's Irma?" he asked April as she poured herself some coffee.

"Still sleeping. You two mad scientists didn't come into the house until well after midnight so I'm not surprised," she replied.

Donny couldn't help feeling responsible for their new human friend's lack of sleep. He had told her repeatedly that she should go in before him. However, she insisted that she push on with him claiming that she'd stop when he did. He had to admit, having a lab partner to think about forced him to stop and take care of himself better if only so Irma would follow his example. He couldn't help feeling grateful towards the girl for it.

The purple masked turtle was distracted from his thoughts when he heard the heavy footsteps of his older brother. Raph came running into the kitchen looking slightly panicking.

The red masked turtle quickly looked around the room before he demanded, "Anybody seen Mikey and Maya?"

"Relax Ralph. They probably went grocery shopping with Isla this morning," Donny replied unconcerned.

The red masked turtle looked at his brother with an irritated expression before he said sarcastically, "Of course cause it's not like he's been glued to us lately or anything, especially without his phone."

He then turned to the others before he explained, "Besides, heat cycle or not, Mikey never leaves without telling one of us or at least leaving a note. Anybody talk to either of the brats or find a note?"

Everyone looked at each other and shrugged before they looked around for a note. It was April that noticed the soggy piece of paper on the table. She quickly read through it before her eyes bulged to the size of dinner plates.

"Guys…you're gonna want to see this," April said nervously before handing the letter to Leo.

The blue masked turtle quickly read it before he gasped in shock. He turned to his two anxious looking little brothers with a worried expression.

"They ran away," Leo stated.

"What do you mean they ran away? What does it say?" Donny cried in shock.

Leo looked down at the coffee stained paper before he explained, "I can't read all of it but basically it says Fam, We know we've been kind of hard to deal with lately. We're both grateful and sorry for making you put up with everything. We decided to disappear so that you guys can have some peace and quiet. Love Team M&M.'"

The room became dead silent as they listened to Leo read the letter out loud. Ralph was the first to react and walked over to Leo before taking the letter from him. He needed to see it for himself that his baby brother had actually run away from them.

"Shit Mikey…they must have heard us last night," Raph said feeling absolutely consumed with guilt.

"Isla's phone is still on the charger and her note says she and the little guy will be out for the day," Casey added holding up the other piece of paper.

The turtles were beginning to panic. Their baby bro was out there somewhere thinking that he was a burden to them. April could feel their anxiety going through the roof. When it became clear that her adopted family were literally scared stiff, she knew it was time for her to step in.

"Well you aren't going to find them standing around in the kitchen. Let's go get Miwa, Alopex and Aunt Emily. They know the territory a lot better then we do so maybe they can help us," April said leaving no room for argument.

The boys quickly nodded their heads before running upstairs to grab their weapons.

…

Mikey and Maya were all smiles as they hiked through the woods. Maya had taken the lead after breakfast when she told her mate that she could hear water calling to her. The orange masked turtle could never deny the mermaid any opportunity to be near her element and was more then happy to follow the girl where ever she wanted to go.

They walked off the path to make their way through a thick patch of forest. When they finally found a clearing, the pair stopped and stared in amazement at what they found. Team M&M had stumbled upon a waterfall that fell into a crystal clear lake.

Mikey gave an impressed whistle before he turned to Maya and said, "How much you wanna bet that not even the foxy ladies know about this place?"

Maya smiled at her mate before grabbing his arm to pull him along with her towards the water and said, "Come beloved. This one has been practicing a new illusion magic that she wishes to show you."

"Sweet. Lead the way pretty lady," Mikey replied happily being pulled along by his mate towards the lake.

Maya wasted no time undressing and folding her clothes before diving into the water. Mikey put his weapons and gear beside Maya's clothes before he sat down on the edge of the grass and dangled his feet in the water.

He smiled as he watched Maya in her mermaid form swimming gracefully under the water. Mikey adored watching his mate in her element. She moved as if she were dancing and when she smiled up at him through the water he found himself wondering how he got so lucky to have such a beautiful creature fall in love with him.

Maya silently floated up until her head and shoulders were above the water. She smiled at her mate before a webbed hand rose from the water to beckon Mikey to join her.

'You wouldn't leave your mate to swim out here all on her own would you?' Maya teased.

Mikey said nothing as he gave his mate one of his mischievous smirks. He silently stood up before he began walking towards the trees.

Maya instantly knew what he was up to and warned 'Beloved don't you da-'

"CANNONBALL!" Mikey screamed as he ran towards the lake and jumped into the air before folding his body into a ball.

The mermaid only had a few minutes to move before the turtle's body slammed into the causing a huge splash. When Mikey rose to surface the first thing he saw was his mate's irritated face.

Mikey gave her the cutest smile he could produce before he said 'Loooooove yoooooou.'

'Mhmm' Maya replied before she created a giant wave that slammed the turtle back under the water.

The mermaid chuckled at the surprised look on her mate's face before he disappeared under the water. She then dove under to catch up with her mate. As soon as she was close enough, Maya pulled Mikey into her arms and placed a tender kiss on the turtle's lips. When she pulled away, she could see that Mikey looked surprised he was able to breath normally under the water.

'This is new' Mikey said looking impressed.

'It is only the beginning beloved' Maya replied before grabbing Mikey's hand.

Maya closed her eyes and began to hum a hauntingly beautiful melody. As they continued to swim, everything around them began to change. Coral sprouted below them and exotic fish began to surround them. The water itself seemed deeper and wider as it began to taste salty to the turtle. When other mermaids suddenly swam past them, Mikey realized what Maya had done.

'Welcome to this one's home beloved' Maya said with a shy smile.

'Holy cow…we swam to the ocean!' Mikey cried.

The mermaid chuckled before she explained 'No beloved. This one recreated it using her magic so that she could show you…do you like it?'

Mikey looked around memorized before he replied 'Like it? May, I love it! This is amazing! YOU'RE AMAZING!'

The mermaid blushed at her mate's praise and gave him a shy smile. Maya always felt humbled whenever Mikey complimented her. His words were always so blunt and honest. At times, they were overwhelming for her to hear because she could feel the intense emotion behind them.

However, where Mikey was blunter expressing his love in words, Maya showed it in her actions. The mermaid silently swam up to her mate and lovingly kissed him as she wrapped her arms and tail around him.

…

"MIKEY!...MAYA!" Ralph shouted internally panicking a little bit more every time he called out and was answered with silence.

It had been mid morning when they had begun their search for team M&M. It was now late afternoon and they were still franticly searching for the pair.

The red masked turtle would never admit it in a thousand years but he was dangerously close to tears and an anxiety attack. The only thing keeping him grounded was a mantra he kept telling himself that they would find their little brother.

A gentle squeeze on his shoulder reminded Ralph that he was not alone. He turned to see Alopex giving him a reassuring smile.

FLASHBACK

Vixen had been observing the sparing match between Alopex and Miwa when she noticed the teens running towards them in a panic.

"What's wrong?" she demanded.

Leo took a minute to catch his breath before he explained, "Mikey and Maya heard us talking last night…They left a note saying that they're running away. Please tell me you saw them leave."

The fox regretfully shook her head before she replied, "They must have left through the front door. We've been back here all morning and it has been quiet I'm afraid. We only heard Isla leaving not to long ago."

"We'll search the woods. They couldn't have gone far," Miwa said immediately ready to rip the area apart to find her baby brother and the mermaid.

Vixen nodded her head before she replied, "Agreed."

The fox turned to Casey and April before she instructed, "Go back to the house. If the children do not return, inform Isla when she gets home and then join us with Irma to continue searching with us."

The teens nodded before going back to the house before Vixen turned to Miwa and said, "Take Donny and search ONLY around the property line."

The siblings nodded their heads before they disappeared. Vixen then turned to her daughter before she said, "Take Raphael into the deeper woods and sweep the south and west side of the forest. Leonardo and I will search the North and East."

With that everyone disappeared praying that one of them would find team M&M.

End of Flashback

Raph stared at the fox with sad, desperate eyes before he said, "This wouldn't have happened if I'd just kept my mouth shut."

"You act as though you were the only one expressing frustration of the situation. This…heat cycle thing has been rough for all of you," Alopex replied gently.

"It's no excuse for being a shitty brother," Raph mumbled.

Alopex wished she could say that she knew how Raph felt. She was an only child and had no friends until now. However, she knew enough that it didn't feel right to let the turtle think of himself that way.

"Look, I don't know much about people let alone how families are supposed to work. As an outsider looking in though…you're doing a pretty good job and a far cry from what I would call a shitty brother," the fox said.

Raph glared at the girl before he hissed, "If I'm so great then why did my baby brother run away from me?"

Alopex sighed before she replied, "You'll have to ask him when you find him…but I have a feeling we're missing something important. Mikey loves you guys and I see the way he looks up to you especially. It's like he knows nothing bad will ever happen to him as long as you're around. You're his protector."

The red masked turtle's face looked uncertain and self conscious as he stared at the ground clenching his fists. He took a moment to absorb Alopex's words before he asked, "You really don't think the kid ran away cause of us?"

"I don't think he ran away at all...but you tell me. Regardless of how much you've pushed him away, has Mikey ever considered leaving his family?" the fox replied casually.

Raph thought for a moment before a small smile crept onto his face and he said, "No…Mikey's our glue. We're the ones always trying to run…but no matter how far we go, he always pulls harder to bring us back. As for Maya…well we found out first hand once that she would never take Mikey away from his brothers."

Alopex smiled before she said, "They both sound like they have big hearts. Not the kind of people I would imagine running away from people that love them."

She then shrugged her shoulders before she added sarcastically, "but hey, what do I know?"

A ghost of a smirk graced the turtle's face much to the fox's delight before she was struck with a strong scent. Caught off guard, the fox lifted her snout in the air to get a stronger whiff of the smell.

"What is it?" Raph asked anxiously.

Alopex was silent for a moment before she replied, "It's faint but I think I found them."

"You sure?" Ralph asked again as he reached for his phone to call his brothers.

"I am sure…it is no wonder I could not find them sooner, they are near water. Come, I know where they are now," Alopex explained before she grabbed Ralph's hand and took off running.

…

Raph managed to message his brothers to tell them that team M&M had been found. Leo and Donny used the GPS tracker in Raph's phone to catch up with him.

The turtles, Miwa, and Vixen caught up with each other half way as they quickly made their way to the others. When they finally found Raph and Alopex, the pair were staring at a stunning lake.

Miwa was the first to cautiously walk up to the pair when they hadn't noticed their arrival. She gently placed a hand on her little brother's shoulder and waited patiently for him to look at her.

She was instantly on edge when she saw Raph's shocked green eyes and demanded, "What's wrong? Where are they?"

Raph was silent as he pointed straight ahead. Miwa and the others looked to where the turtle was pointing before they got a shock of their own.


	9. Chapter 9

The group were frozen stiff. At first, they didn't realize who they were looking at until they heard the familiar voices. The pair had yet to notice them, caught up in their little world discussing who knows what.

"How is this possible?" Donny finally asked.

All the others could do was shake their heads. They were all just as shell shocked as the purple masked turtle was. The sound of movement and voices caught the attention of the young couple. They both looked up and smiled at their friends. Team M&M waved at the pair nonchalantly as if there was nothing different about them at all.

"Hey guys! You miss us already?" Mikey said with a cheeky grin.

It was at this point that the Hamato siblings had just about as much as they could take from their little brother's behaviour. It was Leo however, that stepped forward looking livid.

"ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?!" the normally level-headed turtle screamed surprising everyone.

Raph was the first to recover and took a step to his older brother. Leo had every right to be pissed off as far as he was concerned. He would have been right there with him screaming some sense into the pair if they didn't look so terrified.

The red masked turtle put a hand on Leo's shoulder before he said, "Leo tone it down a bit man."

Leo whipped his head in Raph's direction before he hissed, "Seriously? After what they just put us through, you want me to _tone it down._ "

Leo…what's wrong bro?" Mikey asked innocently which only seemed to infuriate his oldest brother further.

The leader stomped towards the pair as he yelled, "YOU TWO RUN OFF ON YOUR OWN, LEAVE US A NOTE SAYING THAT YOU'RE DISAPEARING, WE'RE GOING OUT OF OUR MINDS TRYING TO FIND YOU AND WHEN WE DO FIND YOU…YOU'RE…HUMAN! AND YOU WANT TO KNOW _WHAT'S WRONG?!_ "

It was true that the pair were both currently disguised to look like human teenagers. Maya was currently sporting rainbow streaks in her usually lovely silver hair along with a pair of bright green eyes. Mikey looked like he belonged on a beach surfing huge waves with his sun kissed tanned skin and bright blond curls. The only thing that was recognizable of the fun-loving turtle was his bright blue eyes and signature freckles. Both were wet from swimming and wearing nothing but beach towels.

Maya and Mikey glanced at each other with shocked wide-eyed expressions before Mikey turned to his brother and calmly said, "We said we'd be back by dinner."

"WELL THAT JUST MAKES IT ALL BETTER THEN DOENSN'T IT? IT'S OKAY THAT YOU SCARED THE SHIT OUT OF US CAUSE YOU WE-…wait what?" Leo looked very confused as he stopped in mid rant.

"It is true. Did you not read the note this one left?" Maya asked.

Suddenly the three oldest turtles turned red with embarrassed while Vixen, Alopex and Miwa glared at them before Donny admitted, "We may have accidently spilt coffee on it."

The mermaid stared at Donatello intensely for a moment before her expression became surprised and said, "Oh dear."

"What happened?" Mikey asked her.

"There has been a terrible misunderstanding. They believe we meant to leave permanently beloved," Maya explained bluntly.

Mikey was quiet as Maya used their link to show him what happened through Donny's eyes. He then turned to his family looking shocked before he burst out laughing. The Hamato siblings looked _very_ unimpressed as they watched their youngest brother holding his stomach with tears in his eyes from laughing so hard.

"Holy Chaloopas…that's to funny…you guys actually thought…HA," Mikey said between fits of laughter at his siblings' expense.

"Beloved that is not kind. Our leaving today was to be a kindness to them for putting up with us while in heat not to prank them," Maya scolded her mate.

Mikey took a minute to calm down for he replied, "I know but you gotta admit…it's a little funny."

"I think I speak for all of us when I say NOT FUNNY MIKEY!" Donny yelled in annoyance.

"Come on! All week you guys have been trying desperately to get away from us and then we decide to leave you alone…and you come chase us!" Mikey said before he burst out laughing again.

At this point, everyone was stunned while they let Mikey's words sink in. As the mermaid watched her mate laugh hysterically, she was trying desperately to stifle her own laughter.

"Don't even think about it Maya," Raph said when he saw her covering her mouth.

This however was the breaking point for the mermaid before she too was breaking out into fits of laughter. This quickly set off Vixen and Alopex who couldn't help but find the urge to laugh contagious. The three turtles were finding it harder and harder to stay mad but they were determined not to find this even a little bit funny.

 _*Snort*_

The sound caught everyone off guard as they all looked at Miwa who was beet red and covering her mouth with her hand as her body shook with laughter.

"Did you seriously just snort?" Leo asked with a shocked expression.

Reluctantly the girl nodded her head before another snort escaped from her lips. That snort broke down any defense the turtles were holding on to. The three older turtles were suddenly laughing along with everyone else with no signs of stopping.

Vixen was the first to recover from her laughter fit and took a moment to observe the Hamato siblings as she wiped away tears from her eyes. It was clear to her as she watched them that they needed this whether they realized it or not. They were just children that had all suffered so much in such a brief period and in that time bottled up all their emotions to focus on survival. All those pent-up feelings were harmful to their mind, body and spirit if not released. She was glad for them that they were able to release those emotions positively through laughter then to let them explode negatively fueled by anger and fear.

The fox stared at Michelangelo and shook her head in amazement of the young man. It was thanks to him that they could release all those emotions properly. He single-handily turned an explosion of rage into a fit of laughter. She could easily understand the fear his siblings held in their hearts at the idea of losing him. Michelangelo had a superpower of sorts, one that gave his family the strength to keep fighting when they didn't think they could go any further. Just by the simple act of making them laugh, he reminded them all that there was more to life then survival and being apart of the Hamato clan meant more then simply being a team of ninjas.

She smiled as she watched them poke at Mikey's skin and run their hands through his golden locks while still giggling. She hated that she had to break up such a beautiful family moment but she knew she needed to get these children back home.

"Alright then. If were all done acting like hyaenas it's time to go back home…perhaps with our clothes on and in our proper skin," Vixen said with a playful smile as she stared at team M&M.

Maya and Mikey both smiled bashfully before the mermaid changed them both back and got her clothes back on. As they started walking back to the house, Leo stayed back so that he was walking at the same pace as team M&M.

It was Mikey that noticed his brother's somber expression and asked, "You okay bro. You don't look so good."

Leo glanced at the pair who looking back at him in concern before he said, "I owe you both an apology…I'm sorry."

The blue masked turtle felt small under the silent stare team M&M was giving him until Mikey broke out into a smile and replied, "It's okay bro... we're sorry to. We didn't mean to scare anybody today."

"That doesn't make what I did excusable. I'm the leader…I shouldn't have lost my temper like that," the oldest turtle replied ashamed of himself.

"You're also a sixteen-year-old kid that has a lot of shit on his plate. You're allowed to feel Leo," Mikey said sounding a lot older then he acted.

Leo gave his baby brother a surprised look before he smiled and said, "Thanks Mikey."

"Anytime bro," Mikey replied giving his oldest brother one of his cheeky grins.

Leo returned the smile before he began to walk up ahead to catch up with Miwa. He hoped that she could spar with him and he could forget today ever happened. He didn't know what came over him when he saw the pair. The entire day he felt a crippling fear that he was never going to see his little brother again. Then when they finally find them smiling and waving at him, he just suddenly felt…angry. They had already lost Master Splinter which made the whole thing ten times more terrifying but to see them acting like this was a joke was to much. That didn't stop the turtle from wincing as he remembered the scared faces of team M&M as he screamed in their faces.

"Hey Leo!" Mikey called.

Leo looked over his shoulder to see what his brother wanted before he was hit in the face with a massive water ball.

"Stop feeling bad or else I'm gonna bedazzle your shell!" Mikey cried.

The blue masked turtle glared at the pair for a moment before an evil grin slowly made its way on his face. The pair gave a small 'eep' before they took off running away from the vengeful turtle.

Vixen stopped walking when she heard screaming going on behind her. She sighed and rolled her eyes at the sight of a soaking wet Leo chasing Mikey and Maya while the others cheered him on.

 _'Poor Yoshi'_ Vixen thought as she chuckled at the image of Hamato Yoshi trying these children on his own.

…

When they returned to the house April, Casey, and even Irma went into mother hen mode. Irma went instinctively into doctor mode checking them over while Casey and April were interrogating the pair like a couple of worried parents catching their kids sneaking in after curfew. Isla could only stand off to the side giving team M&M a sympathetic glance. However, when Donny mentioned that Mikey and Maya were human when they found them, the older mermaid suddenly looked shocked and spoke up.

"What do you mean they were both human?" Isla demanded sounding sterner then she meant to.

Everyone looked at Isla a bit surprised before a timid Maya stepped forward reluctantly to look at her pod sister.

"Maya, explain yourself," Isla said in a tone that left no room for argument.

The younger mermaid took a deep breath before she explained, "This one found the ability by accident. Mikey and this one, were in the midst of…a moment of passion…when it occurred. This one felt a power spike while we were together and everything happened very quickly. One moment we were intimate as mermaid and turtle and the next we were both human."

Isla looked worried as she listened to her pod sister before she began pacing nervously in front of the younger mermaid. Needless to say, this quickly put everyone else on edge right with her.

"Isla what's wrong? Is there something we need to worry about?" Leo asked.

The older mermaid quickly stopped before she explained, "This one is not sure. Not since the time of the first sea king has there been a mermaid with this much power…"

She then turned to Maya and said, "Child we knew you were strong but to be able to do this…"

Maya looked at her pod sister before she quietly replied, "This one doesn't understand…did this one do something wrong?"

Isla smiled at her sister and shook her head before she said, "No sister you have not. In fact, it is an incredible thing and this one couldn't be more proud…but she is also frightened for you. Your heat cycle has unlocked a great deal of your power prematurely and this one fears it may be to much for your mind and body to handle."

"This one has more control then you might think…she has been practicing for some time with help from her beloved," Maya admittedly.

"How much control do you have exactly?" Isla asked.

Maya held Mikey's hand before grabbing the next hand that as closest to her which was Donny's. She gave her pod sister a reassuring smile before she closed her eyes and began to hum.

Everyone watched in wonder as the turtles' bodies began to morph until they were no longer mean green fighting machines. Everyone's eyes almost popped out of their head as they stared at the tanned blond and the pale brunette that Mikey and Donny had turned into. Maya let go of their hands and smiled proudly.

"Holy crap," Raph said in shock as he stared at his brothers wearing human skin.

Isla couldn't believe what she had just witnessed. Never had such a display of magic been attempted by another of their kind. She quickly went to Maya's side and checked over the girl's health.

"Maya, you must answer honestly. Do you feel any dizziness or illness?" Isla asked as she felt the younger mermaid's head and cheeks for fever.

"No, this one feels fine. This one hasn't tested how long she can hold the illusion. When it is just this one and Mikey, the magic can hold for several hours before this one feels sleepy," Maya explained.

Leo and Raph took that moment to walk over and check on their little brothers. Mikey had the same form as when they found him. The blond haired, blue-eyed boy looked completely unfazed by his new appearance. When they looked over at Donny, he looked just as stunned as his older brothers as he stared at his ten fingers. The tall pale boy had short, wavy, chestnut brown hair with large brown eyes to match.

"Mikey, you feel okay bro?" Raph asked as he ran his fingers through his baby brother's soft blond curls.

"Dude, do you see how cute my nose is? I'm better then okay I'm ADORABLE," Mikey replied loving his human disguise.

Leo smiled at Mikey's response before reluctantly looking over at Donny and asked, "Don, you with us right now?"

The boy stared at his hands for a few more minutes before he looked up at his brother in shock. Without warning Donatello gave a horror film worthy, blood curdling scream before he fell back and fainted into Karai's waiting arms. Baby Caspian who had been watching intently chose that moment to start giggling and clapping his hands.

Isla immediately face palmed while a surprised Maya quickly turned Mikey and Donny back into their turtle bodies.

The older mermaid gave her sister a warning look before she said, "This one shall speak to the king about this development. Perhaps he has some knowledge on how we train you to control your power burst…Until then _no_ magic other then your disguise. Is this one clear?"

Maya reluctantly nodded her head in agreement. With a sigh Isla handed the baby to her pod sister before making her way to the lake beside the house to contact her pod father.

…

Isla's departure left the group anxious and worried about Maya's health. Donny rousing from his fainting spell was the first noise anyone had made in the past twenty minutes. The purple masked turtle noticed everyone staring at him as he sat up and remembered what happened. The turtle quickly checked his hands before he sighed in relief. A sudden thought occurred to Donny before a look of dread spread across his face.

"Please tell I didn't-"

Raph put a hand on Donny's shoulder before he confirmed, "You did and we _all_ had the pleasure of being there when you did."

The purple masked turtle looked up at his brother in horror. He knew very well that Raph was implying that everyone including April had witnessed him scream and faint like a damsel in distress. Feeling a little bit bad for the turtle Irma stepped forward.

She crossed her arms and glared at Raph before she said, "Leave him alone. If it was you in his place I have no doubt you'd probably piss yourself."

"My money is on crying in the fetal position," Mikey piped in with his hand raised in the air.

Raph looked horrified before he growled. Deciding it was more worth his while to take out his bruised pride on his baby brother, chased after Mikey with promises of a knuckle sandwich. Donny watched his two brothers run off before he looked up at Irma with a grateful smile.

"Thanks. You really didn't have to do that but…well thanks," Donny said as he got to his feet.

Irma shrugged her shoulders before she replied, "I've got a fetish for putting jackasses in their place. I usually save my talents for Casey Jones but he hasn't been any fun lately."

"Girl after my own heart," Donny joked making the girl chuckle as a light blush graced her cheeks.

The turtle smiled as he thought _'She's pretty when she smiles.'_

The thought caught Donny off guard and he had to give his head a quick shake. He couldn't help but wonder why he was suddenly thinking about Irma's smile. He decided not to over think it and decided to focus on something else.

"So…what did I miss?" Donny asked Irma as he observed everyone looking anxious as they stood around.

Irma sighed before she explained, "Well apparently Maya just became the strongest mermaid in existence and she isn't even at full power yet. Isla is concerned about how much power she's gaining in such a short period of time…I'm not sure but Maya may be in danger from herself."

"My God…is there anything we can do?" Donny asked fearfully as he looked over to the young mermaid who was hiding Mikey from Raph's wrath and giggling happily while an annoyed Leo held baby Cass.

Irma shook her head before she replied, "Isla's talking to the king now to see if there's a way for her to control the bursts of power. All we can do for now is wait."

Donny sighed and rubbed his eyes as he felt frustration take over. He hated these situations where he couldn't use his gifts to protect his family. Irma said nothing as she grabbed his hand and gave it a supportive squeeze, silently understanding the turtle's irritation.

…

It was hours later before Isla finally returned to them. When they saw the defeated look on her face the group was immediately on edge. Maya quickly handed Caspian To Raphael and approached her pod sister before Isla quickly wrapped the girl in a hug.

Mikey quickly stepped forward before he hesitantly asked, "Isla…what's wrong? Is Maya gonna be okay?"

The older mermaid looked up at everyone before she sighed and said, "There is news both good and bad. Which would you like to hear first?"

* * *

All done for now! Don't forget to review and let me know what you think!


	10. Chapter 10

"Isla…what did father say?" Maya asked trying desperately not to sound afraid.

The older mermaid took a deep breath before she replied, "He insists that we must return home immediately."

The whole group went dead silent as Isla spoke. Nobody knew what to do or say as the look of pure heartbreak and devastation appeared on team M&M's faces.

"This one does not understand…" Maya whispered.

"It is a most rare occurrence but it has happened where a child of royal blood is born possessing the power of Neptune. It is considered both a blessing and a curse for one to contain such power. If not controlled properly…it can be the cause of great misfortune for both land and water creatures," Isla explained.

"What kind of misfortune?" Miwa asked.

Isla hesitated before she said, "The last time one of our kind possessed the power of Neptune it was not able to be controlled in time…the city of Atlantis was destroyed."

Maya suddenly became very afraid. She possessed the ability to destroy an entire civilization of people if she wanted to. It was extremely disturbing to say the least and she suddenly felt this overwhelming need to hide somewhere with her power where she couldn't hurt anyone. She was pulled from her dark thoughts when she suddenly felt two gentle hands cradling her face and looked into Mikey's bright blue eyes.

'You with me right now?' Mikey asked gently.

Maya looked at the turtle with terrified eyes before she replied, 'This one is scared.'

The orange masked turtle gently kissed the silver haired mermaid on the head before he replied 'It's gonna be okay. I won't let anything bad happen to you. We're gonna figure this out together no matter what. You know that right?'

Maya nodded her head before resting it on Mikey's chest. The turtle promptly wrapped his arms around his mate and held her tight.

'Besides it's not just you and me. Look at all the peeps backin' you up babe' Mike said as he nodded his head towards everyone.

Maya tilted her head to the side and couldn't help but smile at what she saw. All her friends, her pod, her clan; standing together ready to fight for her. It gave her strength that she didn't know she had and gave her hope that she would overcome this and come back to her family.

"I still don't understand why she has to go back. Why can't she train here with us?" Leo asked desperately trying to find away to keep team M&M together.

"When the new king and queen are chosen to lead the pod they are taught many things. One of those things includes how to train what we call the 'children of Neptune'. Mother and father need Maya to return for a few months to train," she explained.

She then turned to Maya and smiled sadly before she replied, "Dylan will be doing the training along side you."

It was a slight comfort to the mermaid to know that she would not be alone during her training. She had missed her older brother dearly since they parted. Seeing him again along with her parents would be a great comfort.

"You don't have to leave right now, do you?" April asked trying not to get upset.

Isla looked regretfully at the girl before she nodded her head and said, "Father wishes us to leave tonight. The sooner the training begins, the better it is for Maya."

Leo, Raph, and Donny felt helpless as they listened to Isla. Raph looked over towards Mikey and Maya before he felt his heart break for the pair. Mikey hadn't let go of Maya the entire conversation and the mermaid was clinging on to him just as tightly. Raph had made it his mission to know when his brothers were hiding things from him, especially Mikey who was an expert at hiding behind his smile. Although the signs were settle it was clear to Raph that it was taking everything in his baby brother to hold it together for Maya's sake.

The red masked turtle rubbed a hand over his face before he walked over to Isla. If he couldn't keep the older mermaid from taking Maya back home then at least he could buy them some time.

He rested a hand on Isla's shoulder before he said, "Stay, please."

The older mermaid gave the turtle a pained expression before she whispered, "Please don't make this difficult."

"One day…just one more day so we can give you guys a proper send off…please," Raph said trying not to sound desperate.

Isla stared at the turtle and sighed. She very much wanted to stay but she feared that it would do more harm then good to delay a farewell.

Raph could see she was about to say no and as a last resort reached out to Isla with the link that he could faintly feel from his meditation training with Master Splinter.

'Please don't do this to them. I'm beggin' ya just give them one more day…they need this' Raph said to Isla.

The older mermaid stared at the red masked turtle. Although he was calm she could see in his eyes that he was desperate to do this for both of them.

Finally, she smiled at the teen before she hung her head in defeat and said, "Alright. We'll stay for one day and leave tomorrow night."

"Alright! We'll do a smell ya later party!" Casey announced pumping his fists up in the air.

"A smell ya later party. Seriously?" Irma replied looking unimpressed with her arms crossed over her chest.

This seemed to break the tension everyone was feeling, even if it was only a little bit. The group couldn't help smirking and chuckling at the idea of a smell ya later party.

"Of course, it's a smell ya later party. We'll play some games, make some grub…Maya, girl you know you ain't leavin' till we show Mikey our sick dance moves!" Casey said trying to get everyone to focus more on the fun part rather then the goodbye part.

April quickly caught on to what Casey was doing and added, "I've got a box of rainbow cake mix, icing and sprinkles in the kitchen. I was saving it for when we decided to go back but I think this is way more of a cake thing."

Miwa smirked before she looked at team M&M and said, "As the oldest Hamato, I am declaring a prank war. It begins at dawn…shotgun on Mikey and Maya for my team."

Everyone passionately protested Miwa getting team M&M but Mikey and Maya couldn't be more excited.

"Alright we'll be team M&M&M!" Mikey shouted excitedly making Maya laugh.

Suddenly all of them were coming up with ideas to make the next day the best smell ya later party ever. Even Vixen and Alopex started to get excited. Raph watched with a smile as they all talked over each other. He suddenly jumped though when he felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Alopex standing beside him with a smile.

"I totally called it. You my friend, are an amazing big brother," the fox said before squeezing the turtle's shoulder.

Raph gave her a smirk before he replied, "Thanks."

Alopex nodded her head at him before she joined him in watching everyone, including team M&M plan for the festivities the next day. They both stood in silence before curiosity got the better of Alopex.

"Raph?"

"Ya?"

"What's a party?"

The turtle was caught off guard before he burst out laughing at the random question. The fox crossed her arms and gave the turtle an irritated glare before she demanded he stop laughing and answer her question at once.

…

It was five in the morning. The sun was slowly chasing the night from the sky though it was still dark within the quiet farmhouse. The atmosphere was peaceful and still…that was until the sound of everyone's phone alarms going off at the same time, ruining the tranquility of the morning.

"What the actual fuck?" Raph growled into his pillow as he wondered when and more importantly why he would've set an alarm for such an ungodly hour.

The red masked turtle groaned before he reached over to grab his phone and found the base of a pop bottle instead. Curious, he took his face out of his pillow to see where his phone was and was met with a very odd sight.

There in an empty one litre pop bottle was his t-cell blaring the obnoxious sound of his alarm clock. Raph had to blink a few times to confirm what he was staring at.

"You have got to be kidding me," he mumbled to himself as he remembered what Karai said about the prank war starting at dawn.

"WHAT THE HELL?" Donny's voice screamed before the sound of stomping feet made their way down the hallway.

Both Raphael and Donatello jumped in surprise when Donny slammed open Raph's door and the loud sound of popping filled the air. The shock turned into annoyance once the purple masked turtle looked behind the door to see a popped balloon taped to bottom of the wall and a thumbtack taped to the bottom of the door.

"I can't deal with this. Our sister and her little minions are pure freaking evil!" Donny shouted.

He held up the pop bottle by the neck and ranted, "How did they even do this? This defies the laws of physics!"

Ralph casually sat up in his bed before he replied, "How the hell am I supposed to know? You're the egg head, figure it out!"

At that moment April walked in half awake. She silently ripped off the pop label revealing a large hole in the side of the bottle. She then shook the bottle till the phone fell out before turning off the alarm and then slamming it into Donny's chest. She then repeated her task to Raph's phone before leaving the room mumbling that they were idiots.

...

Nobody was impressed with how their day started so far. Besides from the cell phone fiasco, the brats had planted their balloon and thumbtack prank on every door in the house. They also strategically placed pictures of Nicholas Cage making ridiculous faces all over the house.

To make matters worse nobody could find a trace of Mikey, Maya, or Miwa. That meant that there was no way to get them back and no way to tell when they would strike next. When they tried to call them, all three phones went to voicemail which was changed to basically Rickroll whoever called

The exhausted teens all sat around the table while an amused Isla tended to Caspian. They were trying to think of some way to lure out the pranksters.

"We need to find a way to be one step ahead of them," Leo thought out loud as he tried to think of a plan.

"How? They could be anywhere. They're probably watching us right now," Casey said.

Donny turned to Isla before he desperately pleaded, "Please…help us."

"This one is not getting into this. It will only end in tears," Isla replied as she fed her son.

Raph sighed before he said, "It's a suicide mission takin' them on with Karai on their team."

The group sat in silence as they all thought hard about how they were going to get back at the three for the morning from hell. None of them were terribly creative when it came to pranks like Mikey was, especially when it came to revenge pranks. Suddenly an idea occurred to April before she quickly rose from her chair.

"Where are you going?" Irma asked curiously.

April stopped and turned to her friend before she replied, "I'm going to fight fire with fire. There's only one person I know who could possibly out ninja Miwa."

…

Vixen tried desperately not laugh as she listened to the teens described what they had woken up to. She had to admit the pranksters had a hell of an imagination. She had been surprised when the group of teens had tracked her and Alopex down. When they explained why they needed their help, her primal instincts tingled with excitement. Her human ninja side relished in the idea of challenging a worthy opponent like Miwa.

As the children continued rant and think of ideas to catch the three trouble makers off guard, Emily was already strategizing. She was becoming hyper aware of her surroundings like she had been trained to do all those years ago. Team M&M&M were clearly nowhere near them or the area. That meant that they had ample time to set a trap. It wasn't just Miwa they had to worry about though. Mikey and Maya were strategic geniuses in their own right, if the stories she'd heard were anything to go by. Their ability to pull off elaborate pranks were a testimony to that.

Suddenly it occurred to her how they were going to capture their prey. A maniacal grin spread on the fox's face catching the attention of her daughter.

"Oh no," Alopex sighed knowing the look on her mother's face all to well.

"What's wrong…why is she smiling like that?" Casey asked nervously.

The younger fox gave her mother an irritated look before she turned to the others and explained, "She has a plan."

…

Miwa sighed contently as she finished her meditation. She opened her eyes and searched briefly for her youngest brother and his mate who were several feet away. After they set up their pranks, Miwa had decided that they should disappear for a while. She told Mikey and Maya that it t of their ultimate prank. The others would be in a permanent state of paranoia when they couldn't find them and wondering when they would strike next. However, Miwa had ulterior motives for wanting to disappear for a while.

Today would be their last moment together for who knows how long. Miwa wanted to give the pair the gift of time alone together before Maya had to leave with Isla and Caspian. The others would want to be together the entire day giving team M&M no time to themselves. The teen wasn't usually much of a romantic but it made Mikey happy to have the private moment alone with his mate, so she was happy to help.

After checking her watch, Miwa was surprised by how late it was. She decided they should probably think about heading back to the house. Miwa quietly made her way towards the pair but stopped dead in her tracks when she saw the pair together. She felt her heart break in a million pieces as she watched the pair holding on to each other for dear life. Maya's face was hidden in Mikey's chest while her arms were wrapped around the turtle's middle. Mikey was holding on to her with one arm while he ran his fingers through Maya's hair. The orange masked turtle seemed to be whispering in Maya's ear with eyes filled to the brim with unshed tears. Miwa clenched her fists as she watched in frustration, knowing there was nothing they could do to stop this separation from happening. She felt like crap for what she was about to do but knew that they couldn't stay here forever.

She cleared her throat before she called, "Hey lovebirds, we gotta go back. It's late and I'm sure they've probably planed some lame prank to get us back."

Miwa gave them a moment to get themselves together before they made their way towards her smiling as if nothing was wrong. Miwa understood, they didn't want her to worry about them so for now she would play along.

"Best part of a prank war is the devastation when Dr. Prankenstein out pranks their prank. Let's do this!" Mikey said getting pumped up.

…

The bait was set and everyone was in place. Vixen's plan was simple yet had proven itself to be efficient in the past. The plan was to basically send out Leo with a pizza to call for a truce while the others hid surrounded in the area in hiding with water balloons. If they couldn't out think Miwa then they would use Mikey's weakness against him. Vixen had sensed their arrival would be soon and no doubt team M&M&M would be on high alert upon arrival. The fox watched cautiously as Leo walked out into the middle of the yard alone.

Leo cleared his throat before he called out, "Guys! If you can hear me, we give up. There is no way that we could ever hope to beat you at pranking and we want to call a truce."

He then held open the pizza box allowing the aroma to fill the air before he added, "This is a little something to show how sincere we are."

The blue masked turtle stood awkwardly as he waited for a reply but was rewarded with only silence aside from birds chirping and trees swaying in the wind. The turtle looked towards where everyone was hiding to see they looked just as anxious as he felt.

'They're close, there's no mistake about it. What are they planning?' Vixen thought as she watched from her hiding place.

Suddenly a blood curdling scream broke the silence catching all of them off guard. The three turtles were immediately on edge, they knew that scream from anywhere.

"Mikey!" Raph yelled in a panic as he quickly ran from his hiding spot.

He and Donny ran to Leo's side as all three brothers desperately tried to determine in what direction the scream had come from. Vixen quickly approached them looking just as shaken as they were before she spoke.

"They aren't far. Follow me," she said before she led the turtles towards their baby brother.

It didn't long to find where Mikey was but to the three turtles it felt an eternity. When they found him, he was in a clearing looking away from them with no Maya or Miwa in sight. They quickly checked the area for danger before Donny approached the orange masked turtle. He put a hand on Mikey's shoulder before forcing him to turn around. After a quick once over the purple masked turtle determined that Mikey was completely unharmed.

He sighed in relief before he glared at his brother and demanded, "What the hell was that about Mikey? You almost gave us all a heart attack."

The turtle just smiled before he replied, "I stubbed my toe."

The purple masked turtle removed his hand from Mikey's shoulder before he facepalmed himself with it. The other two brothers rolled their eyes and shook their heads at the youngest turtle's antics. Vixen watched from a distance as the boys reunited feeling both relieved and annoyed at the youngest for scaring the crap out of her. Suddenly her instincts were telling her something was very wrong.

'If Mikey is here…where are the other two?' Vixen thought.

As the thought entered her mind, she felt a presence and looked to see Miwa standing beside her looking very pleased with herself. The girl held a finger to her lips before she pointed towards Miwa hiding in the trees.

'We planned the same prank' Vixen realized before she silently chuckled to herself and nodded to Miwa.

Vixen learned quickly that there was a slight twist to their prank that they didn't think of. The fox watched with wide, shocked eyes as the mermaid lifted a massive water ball above the trees before moving it so that it stood above the three turtles. The three brothers were so preoccupied with scolding Mikey that they didn't notice him taking three steps backwards. Miwa looked over to Maya and nodded her head before the projectile was dropped and soaked the three older turtles.

The three were so shocked that they stood frozen on the spot while Mikey and Maya laughed uncontrollably. Miwa took that moment to casually walk over to the three and stood in front of them smiling like a cat that caught the canary.

They glared at her before she leaned over and said, "I wanna hear you three say it."

All three brothers groaned before they all admitted, "You win."

…

The rest of the day was dedicated to games, Casey and Miwa's awful dance moves, and making memories together. One memorable moment happened while Raph was playing with Caspian while Isla helped get food set up.

Raph had made a game of holding the baby steady on his feet before letting him go and quickly catching him again when he started to fall. Caspian loved this game, he never doubted that Raph would catch him when he fell. However, while playing Raph let go of the baby waiting for him to start falling but he never did. The turtle looked confused but Caspian just smiled at Raph before taking a wobbly step towards him.

The turtle's jaw hit the floor as he watched the kid take another step, then another. When Caspian stumbled Raph quickly caught him and lifted him into his arms.

'Did this one do good?' Caspian asked.

Raph's face split into a huge grin before he replied, "Kid, you're amazing! I can't believe you just walked!"

The baby just smiled excitedly in his arms before the turtle set him down in the grass before taking a few steps away from him. The baby looked up at Raph with sad eyes and held out his arms for him to be picked up.

"Ra," Cass said out loud.

"Walk to me and then I'll pick you up. Ninja's honor," Raph replied fighting the urge to just pick the kid up as he gave him a watery eyed pout.

"Come on kid. Come to Ra," the turtle said holding his arms out.

The child quickly realized Raph was standing firm on this and huffed before slowly getting himself to his feet. After balancing himself, the child began to take wobbly step after wobbly step until at last he fell into Raph's waiting arms.

"Ra…up," Caspian whined wanting the turtle to keep his end of the bargain.

The turtle chuckled as he stood up with an armful of merbaby. A feeling of pride swelled in Raph's chest as he cheered and held the baby above his head. For a moment he wondered if this is what Splinter felt when they started walking.

"We gotta go show everybody what you can do now! I am so proud of you little man," Raph said as they made their way towards the others.

The baby just laughed as he wrapped his tiny arms around Raph's neck and nuzzled his neck. Raph was quickly telling everybody what had just happened and set Caspian on his feet so that he could show off his new skill. As everyone cheered for the baby, Raph watched on looking like a proud papa as Caspian walked wobbly across the lawn.

…

As much as they all dreaded it, the end of the day had arrived at last. The food had been eaten, and games had been played. The girls even managed to prank team M&M&M with a balloon filled with whip cream disguised as a cake. April, Alopex, and Irma had insisted that they cut the cake since they won the prank war and high fived when the balloon exploded in their faces.

Everyone stood by the lake to send off Isla, Maya, and Caspian. There were a lot of tears and hugs as they all had a chance to say good bye.

"Link with us as often as you can," Donny said as he hugged Isla.

"This one will check in daily," Isla replied as she squeezed him back.

She then turned to Leonardo and pulled him into her arms for a hug. He quickly returned the hug, squeezing her tight.

"I don't like my clan going where I can't protect them," Leo said to her.

"We will be back before you know it pod brother," Isla promised as she returned the hug.

Leo pulled away but held Isla by her shoulders before he said, "Take care of yourselves."

"This one always takes care of us," Isla said with a smirk before she winked at Leo and made her way towards her son.

She had to stop though when she saw him clinging on to Raph for dear life and the turtle was clinging on to him just as tightly.

"Want Ra," Caspian said into Raph's neck.

"I know…I'm gonna miss you to kid," Raph replied as he tried desperately to keep his tears at bay.

The turtle looked up when he saw Isla approaching and stared at her sadly knowing that he needed to give the kid back to his mom. He gave the kid one final kiss on the head before he handed the baby over to Isla. Without a word the mermaid gently kissed Raph on the cheek and squeezed his shoulder before she turned to make her way to Maya. As she walked away Caspian waved one last time to Raph.

As painful as it was to separate Raphael and Caspian Isla knew it would be even more heartbreaking to separate team M&M. As she walked towards them, she could see that they were having a private conversation through their link. She walked slower as she watched Mikey lean in and pull Maya in for one last kiss. They quietly pulled away and gave each other a warm smile before Maya turned and quickly walked towards Isla.

Isla wasted no time pulling the teen to her side before making her way to the water's edge. She looked over her shoulder and sent everyone one last smile before she dove into the water with her family.

* * *

That was one long chapter to write. All done for now, don't forget to review and tell me what you think!


	11. Chapter 11

Three months. It had been three painfully quiet months for April, Casey, and Irma since all their friends had left. After Irma, Maya and the baby had returned to their pod for Maya's training, Mikey had become a shell of himself.

The orange masked turtle had suddenly gone from needing desperately to be by his family's side to wanting nothing to do with anyone. He barely ate and couldn't seem to find any relief from going anywhere in the house without finding something that reminded him of his mate. The three older turtles and Miwa were beside themselves about what to do. Anytime they tried to talk to their baby brother, he would just smile at them and tell them everything was okay.

Vixen had stepped in and decided that it was time that she do something. Training at the farm house wasn't working and it wasn't just Mikey who had a distracted mind.

 ** _Flashback_**

 _"We're doing what now?" Mikey asked sounding VERY unenthusiastic about Vixen's suggestion._

 _The Hamato siblings and Alopex were all kneeling in front of Vixen after training. It was bittersweet to be instructed again when they were being taught by someone other then Master Splinter._

 _"I said we are going into the woods to focus on becoming one with nature. Mastering this training will allow you to become at peace with yourselves," the fox explained._

 _"Become one with nature…lady in case you didn't notice we're ninjas not hippies," Raph said as he crossed his arms defiantly._

 _Vixen glared at the teen before walking over and pressing two fingers into a pressure point in the turtle's neck. Raph instantly went tense as the woman pressed painfully in a way that very much reminded the turtle of how Master Splinter would. As quickly the pain came, it disappeared when Vixen released his neck and gave him a warning look._

 _"You four may have mastered your weapons, stealth, and hand to hand combat but you have yet to master the first of the ninjitsu disciplines, the seishin syuyou," Vixen explained as she walked in front of the teens._

 _"Spiritual refinement?" Miwa questioned._

 _The fox stopped and stared at each teen before she explained, "It is abundantly clear that all of your spirits are troubled. They are burdened with doubts,  
fears, and worries. You must allow your spirits to release these burdens if you ever wish to take back your home and find your father."_ _The teens all looked hesitantly at each before Leo slowly got to his feet. He looked at Vixen with determination in his eyes before he replied, "When do we  
begin?"_

 ** ** _End of flashback_****

During that time all the remaining teens could do was continue to prepare for their inevitable return to New York City. The three were constantly watching the news to see if there was any word from _anybody_ inside the city. Irma was constantly working on the retro mutagen taking over where Donatello left off with his notes. Casey had insisted that the raven-haired girl learn at least some self defense moves for when they went back to New York. April enthusiastically agreed and decided that she would be the one to teach Irma some self-defense moves to protect herself.

When April wasn't training Irma, she was demanding Casey be her sparing partner. Out of all the guys, it was Casey that she preferred to train with. She loved the turtles, but they couldn't seem to bring themselves to push her during spars as if she were breakable. Casey brought his hockey mentality when he trained. He always puts in 110% and he expects you to do the same.

It was one morning that started out very much like any other for Casey and April. They had only just finished stretching when the sound of trees moving  
caught their attention. Both teens quickly turned their attention to the source of the sound but saw nothing.

"What was that?" April asked holding her weapon out in front of her.

"I'm not sure," Casey replied.

The black haired teen slowly made his way towards where they heard the noise with April closely walking behind him. They stopped when they heard the  
rustling noise once again and held their breaths to see what would emerge.

"It might be them," April said sounding hopeful.

Casey pulled his mask over his face and grabbed his hockey stick before he replied, "Maybe, but I ain't takin' any chances Red."

The pair stood their ground, ready to defend themselves if need be as shadows began to emerge from the trees. They sighed in relief however when they  
saw the familiar faces of the Hamato siblings and the two foxes. However, they couldn't help but notice the change in their friends. Vixen and Alopex seemed more focused as if they were about to go after a large prey. Miwa and the turtles…seemed almost feral.

"Woah," Casey said as he dropped his weapon.

"What happened out there?" April asked as the group approached them.

Leo looked at both humans before he replied, "A lot...let's go inside, we have a lot to talk about."

The red head gave the turtle a hopeful expression before she asked, "Does this mean what I think it means?"

Leo gave her a small smile before he said, "We're going home."

…

Donny walked into the barn to find Irma bent over the lab table studying the notes he had left behind when he went to train. He couldn't help but smile as he  
stopped and stared at her as she worked. Her hair had grown slightly longer since he left. She still wore her skull shirt but had long since swapped the skirt out for a pair of jeggings and sneakers she borrowed from April which showed off her long legs.

The purple masked turtle watched as the girl gently handled his lab equipment and notes about the retro mutagen. As he watched her, the purple masked turtle felt his heart race. No one, not even April had ever been so careful when touching his things. Donny was very protective of his lab equipment and notes,  
practically snarling at anyone who got to close. Seeing Irma in his lab working somehow felt natural. Suddenly his work to make more retro mutagen became _their_ work when he had discovered a kindred spirit in the spunky girl. It didn't hurt that she had a gift for trolling Casey Jones.

"Honey I'm home," Donny called out making the girl look up and smile.

"Well hello to you to survivor man," Irma teased as the turtle walked towards the table.

"You've been busy. Any luck?" Donny asked as he observed the canisters of mutagen.

Irma sighed before she replied, "I feel like I'm going at a snail's pace making this stuff. It's like watching paint dry."

"You often watch paint dry?" Donny teased earning himself a glare from his lab partner.

"I put you back together and I can take you apart Hamato. Remember that," Irma teased back before she gently slapped the turtle's arm.

Donny smirked as he recalled back in New York. This girl who had literally been thrown into their shit storm was the one who had helped him keep his shit  
together. She was the one who stitched him up after he'd been shot.

"So, how was your spiritual enlightenment thing?" Irma asked pulling him from his thoughts.

Donny was quiet for a moment before he replied, "Enlightening." Irma snorted before she said, "Wanna elaborate on that a little for those of us who weren't there."

The purple masked turtle gave Irma an apologetic smile before he explained, "There was a part of the training where it was just Miwa, Leo, Raph, Mikey, and  
me. We were sitting around a camp fire one night and then…we saw Splinter."

Irma looked at him in shock before she said, "Splinter? As in your dad Splinter? I can't believe he found us all the way out here. This is great news!"

"He's not exactly here," Donny said.

The girl gave him a confused look before he explained, "He didn't come to us physically. He found us on the spiritual plain and appeared in the fire. He told us  
we needed to defeat our enemies on a spiritual level before we could ever hope to defeat them in the physical world."

Irma let everything sink in for a minute before she looked worried and asked, "If your dad's spirit found you…that mean he's-"

"He's alive, we know that for sure. He just got separated from his body somehow," Donny quickly explained.

Irma let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding before she mumbled, "Well at least we have some good news."

Donny smirked before he said in a sing song voice, "I've got more good news."

"Oh?" Irma said interested.

"We're going home," the turtle replied.

Irma smiled from ear to ear before she wrapped her arms around the turtle's neck and hugged him tight. Donny was caught off guard and stumbled back. One arm quickly wrapped around Irma while the other shot out to grab the desk to stop them from falling.

"That is amazing news!" Irma cried before she pulled away from him, not noticing the shocked blushing expression on the purple masked turtle.

"L-Leo wants everybody in the house for a meeting," Donny stammered.

Irma quickly grabbed Donny's hand to lead them towards the house and said, "What are we waiting for? Let's go!"

...

"The place is barricaded. We have no idea how until we get there of what we're dealing with. This is going to be an extremely risky mission," Leo explained.

"So, we basically can't make a plan until we get there," April said nervously.

"Not exactly. We have something they don't that will give us at least a fighting chance to get back into New York City," Miwa replied.

Casey looked at them all confused before he asked, "What could we possibly have that can outsmart the krang?

Raph just smirked before he wrapped his arm around his baby brother beside him. Mikey smiled at everyone before waving awkwardly. The three humans  
looked at Mikey in surprise before looking over at the remaining Hamato siblings and glaring.

"Hey, at least hear us out," Donny said defensively when he saw the looks in their direction.

"When we went to Dimension X, Mikey and Maya ran ahead of us. They got a five-minute head start but for them it was months. He is the only one that knows how to survive in their world, how to fight in it, but most importantly he knows how to take it down from the inside. When we get back home, a lot of our victory _will_ be because of what Mikey knows," Leo explained.

Mikey didn't know what to think. He couldn't remember a time when his brothers had put as much faith in him as they were doing now. It was awesome that  
they were going to depend on him for once but at the same time, the idea of being responsible for so many people was in a word…terrifying.

 _'Wonder if this is how Leo feels all the time'_ Mikey thought nervously.

As they all planned their strategy Mikey doubts began to voice their opinions louder and louder in his mind. It was almost becoming deafening. However, as  
they began to roar they were quickly silenced and replaced by another voice.

 _'Beloved, do not fill your head and heart with such negativity. You are better then that'_

Mikey almost broke into tears right then and there when he heard the voice of his mate. The past three months had been torture without her there beside him. Hearing her voice was like finding a beloved comic book that he thought lost forever.

 _'They're putting so much faith in a dude that they have to save 90% of the time. I'm terrified I'm gonna mess this up May'_ _'_

 _Beloved, you are so much stronger then you give yourself credit for. Your family is with you, allow them to give you courage when this one cannot be there to  
do so.'_

Mikey knew she was right. He promptly gave his head a shake and looked around at the people who surrounded him. All of them believed that he could help  
him get them home and he wasn't going to let them down. He remembered the words that his father had told him when he had appeared in the forest and  
smiled with confidence.

 _'Thanks for talking sense into me love.'_

 _'Anytime beloved. This one will see you soon.'_

"Mikey, you okay?"

The orange masked turtle looked up to see everyone staring at him. From their perspective they had been trying to get his attention when they noticed him  
staring off into space and drooling with his tongue hanging out of his goofy grin.

Raph was beside him giving him a weird look before he asked, "You back on planet Earth Mikey?"

"Ya I'm good. Just imagining that sweet first slice after we kick the Krang's ass out of our home," Mikey replied with a confident smirk.

"That's the spirit Mikey! I'll even buy the first round," Casey replied.

Casey had hung around long enough to know that although Mikey put on a good show, he wasn't a terribly confident turtle. So anytime the kid actually tried  
to believe in himself, Casey was more then happy to give him an extra boost.

"Just remembers priorities little brother. First, we get our home back _then_ eat our weight in pizza," Miwa chimed in.

"Sounds good to me bra. Alright ninjas, here's what we gotta do…"

…

April couldn't believe it. They were finally leaving her childhood home to go back and fight for the city that they all loved. A lot had happened since they got  
here, and they had all learned so much that it was a bittersweet moment as the house disappeared in the rear-view mirror. The red head turned around in the  
front passenger seat and looked over at her aunt who was sitting stoically as they drove along.

The fox met her gaze before April asked, "Penny for your thoughts?"

Vixen smiled at her before she replied, "Just preparing myself. It has been a very long time since I was in New York City."

"Well Splinter will be happy to see you I'm sure," April said.

Vixen stared at the ground for a moment looking uncomfortable before looking up at her niece and replied, "I'm not telling him…at least not right now."

"Why?"

Both April and Vixen looked over to where the question came from and found that they had an audience. Everyone was staring at them minus Casey but it was clear he was interested in the answer as well.

"Why wouldn't you tell him?" Miwa asked again.

"I am not the person he knew all those years ago," Vixen replied.

"If it makes ya feel better, he doesn't exactly look like the guy you knew all those years ago either," Raph chimed in.

Vixen couldn't help but chuckle a bit at the comment before she said, "I am very aware that we both no longer human in appearance, that is not what I meant."

"What's the problem then?" Leo asked being surprisingly blunt.

The fox stared at the curious teens before she smiled sadly and explained, "I am not the optimistic young girl that he knew…I have grown from experiences  
both wonderful and tragic as has he. It has made us different people. There is no guarantee that we will like the people that we have become so it almost  
seems fitting that we should simply introduce ourselves as the people we are now instead of the people we once were."

The car became silent as everyone absorbed what the woman was saying to them. It was a foreign concept to them that people could leave, change, and then  
come back into your life again as a complete stranger.

"I think I get it," Raph said suddenly breaking the silence.

"Sometimes they don't have to go away to do it, but they do become somebody else…but you still miss the person they used to be and you _never_ forget what  
they meant to you," the red masked turtle added as he recalled Spike becoming Slash.

Vixen smiled at the teen before she said, "I do want to tell him. However, I do believe there is an alien invasion we need to take care of first before we worry  
about that.

"Agreed," they all said at the same time.

The van went into silence once more but this time it was to mentally prepare themselves. The time had finally come. After all the talking and all the waiting,  
they were finally going back to fight for New York.

* * *

For the delay I was having some technological grief. Anyway don't forget to review and tell me what you think!


	12. Chapter 12

As they approached New York City, Casey turned off the headlights so that they could get closer without being spotted. They were forced to stop when they noticed the huge wall surrounding the city limits. The wall was surrounded by Krang bots guarding it all of which were armed with advanced weapons.

"Holy crap," Irma said in shock.

"Mikey, are you sure this plan of yours is gonna work?" Casey asked nervously as turned to look at his friends in the backseat.

"Sure hope so cause it's the only plan I got," Mikey replied. The plan that the orange masked turtle had come up with was equal parts clever and insane.

Mikey had Donny install a high-pitched sound that was the equivalent to a dog whistle. In Dimension X, he had learned that the Krang were incredibly sensitive to sound. Anytime Maya screamed at an enemy, it would instantly try to cover its ears. During the invasion of New York, his mate's scream had no effect on them. Mikey bounced some ideas with Donny and concluded that the Krang had probably built a defense program against Maya. They decided they needed a different frequency, something so piercing it would instantly fry their circuits. The pair came up with the Krang whistle.

"Well, no time like the present to find out. Let's do this," Leo said before he nodded over to Casey.

Casey nodded back before he turned to face ahead and took a deep breath. He looked up at the visor that held a picture of him with his dad and sister before all the doubts in his mind were washed away and replaced with determination. Without a second thought he put the car into gear and floored the gas sending them barreling towards the gate.

The Krang soldiers patrolling the wall looked up the moment they saw a dark shadow approaching them at a high speed. When they were close enough Casey turned the high beams on catching the bots off guard.

"Now!" Mikey shouted to his purple masked brother.

Donny quickly flicked a switch and a sound which to them sounded like a hum filled the air. To the Krang bots however, it was agonizingly painful. The robots themselves began short circuiting and dropped their weapons to the ground. The small pink creatures inside them, screamed as their senses were exposed to the excruciating torture.

"It's working!" April cried with excitement as she watched the soldiers fall.

Casey smirked over at her before he pressed harder on the gas and sped the van towards the barricaded door.

"Hold on to something and brace yourselves. We're goin' home!" Casey shouted right before he crashed the van through the gate.

Some of the soldiers who were still standing tried to shoot them down but with their robotic bodies malfunctioning they were unable to properly aim. Casey kept driving long after the Krang were out of sight and Donny had turned off the 'Krang whistle'.

"Casey, we need to stop. We can't keep driving like this," April said when she noticed the teen wasn't planning on stopping anytime soon.

"Stop where April? We don't have a home; the sewers are a no go. We're stuck," the boy replied with a frustrated voice.

"There has to be an abandoned building around here somewhere where we can hide us and the van," Leo said looking out the window desperately.

Casey stared out the window, keeping an eye out for someplace they could go when he suddenly gasped and slammed on the breaks. Nobody had time to brace themselves before they all slammed forward.

"Casey, what the hell man?" Raph asked once the car had come to a complete stop.

"Hold on. Let me ask this dumb ass," the teen replied before he got out of the car.

The others looked on in confusion as their friend got out of the vehicle and angrily approached a man standing in the middle of the road. The stranger didn't appear at all fazed that he had almost just been run over.

"Are you insane? I could have killed you!" Casey yelled at the stranger.

As he approached him the teen noticed that this person seemed oddly familiar. He had silver hair with eyes to match. His skin was tan, and his expression was stoic.

"Forgive this one. There was no other way to gain your attention," the man replied bowing his head in greeting.

Casey was shocked when he realized that he was talking to a mermaid from Maya's pod. He felt such relief in finding an ally in New York that he could have cried.

"What are you guys still doing here? I thought Isla and Maya sent you guys back to water world after shit hit the fan," Casey asked.

"Some simply did not escape in time to avoid the invasion. It is even unsafe to try and escape through the water. None of us have been in our natural form in months," the man replied simply.

"That's awful," Casey replied not knowing what else to say.

"Your sympathy, although appreciated is not necessary Casey Jones. We are survivors and we have adapted. Now come, it is not safe for you and your pod to be out in the open this way. This one will take you somewhere safe," the merman said as he guided the teen by his arm back towards the van.

"How did you know we were coming anyway?" Casey asked as they made their way back to the others.

The merman smiled at the teen before he replied, "Lady Maya informed us of your arrival only but an hour ago. She instructed us to ensure your safety and bring you home."

Everyone except Mikey looked confused when Casey climbed into the van with the newcomer. Mikey quickly made room for at the merman with a big smile on his face.

"Dover, my man! Good to see you bro," Mikey said as he pulled the stranger into a hug.

"It is good to see you as well pod brother," the merman said as he patted Mikey on his shell.

As Dover sat down between Mikey and Leo, the blue masked turtle leaned over and gave his brother a confused look.

"Did you forget to mention part of your plan?" Leo asked a bit annoyed.

Mikey leaned over so that he could see Leo before he replied, "Sorry bro. I knew Maya would send some pod from the city to help us. I figured I'd worry about where to find them after we found a place. Looks like they found us first though."

"This one needed to find your pod quickly. Your father needs you," Dover said looking at Leo.

Everyone in the van immediately became on edge before Leo replied, "Lead the way."

…

They were all on edge as Dover gave directions that led into an abandoned underground garage. It was pitch black all around them and there wasn't another car in sight. Casey quickly parked the van before they all climbed out. Miwa pulled out a flashlight before she turned her attention to the merman.

"Where do we go from here?" the teen asked.

Silently Dover led them through a door before the descended down several sets of stairs. Once they were at the bottom of the stairs they stood in front of a cement wall. Everyone stared at the merman in confusion before Dover smirked at them and whispered a few words to himself. Suddenly part of the wall disappeared, and a door replaced it. When the merman turned to look at the group he couldn't help smirking at the shocked expressions.

"Illusion magic does not simply apply to our persons," Dover explained before he opened the door and gestured for everyone to go ahead of him.

"I have so many questions for you," Donny said as he walked towards the man.

"Talk later move now," Raph said shoving his brother ahead before he could bombard the poor man with his endless questions about merpeople.

Miwa walked beside the merman with the flashlight so that they could see where the man was leading them. The group descended once more down some stairs. When they reached the bottom, they realized that they were in an abandoned subway station. Everyone started getting a little nervous when Dover jumped down onto the tracks and waited for them to do the same. After a bit of coaxing from the merman, they all climbed down and followed him down the dark subway line.

It felt like hours before they finally felt like they knew where they were going. It didn't take the turtle's long to realize they had just taken a back-door route back to the lair.

"We're really going back to the lair, aren't we?" Leo asked the moment he recognized the main sewer area they usually took.

"This one did say he was taking you home did he not?" Dover replied with a smirk.

"Why the long way?" Miwa asked.

"The krang sealed the man hole covers.

"Thankfully the creatures are not knowledgeable on the complexity of the city's sewer system," Dover explained as he continued to lead them.

Their hearts pounded as the familiar entrance way came into sight. The Hamato siblings all stopped and stared at it with awe and relief.

"What is wrong? Why have you stopped?" Dover asked looking confused.

Leo had to swallow down the lump in his throat before he replied, "We're home. We're actually home at last."

The merman smiled at the turtles before he said, "Come. Your father has been waiting for you."

…

Slash watched the moment they walked back into their home. He ducked low so that they would not see him there. The last time they had seen each other Slash had nearly killed them from the mutagen messing with his brain. He knew what he did was unforgivable, and he certainly wouldn't expect mercy from them, Raph especially.

It was best to just stay out of their way and keep his distance the best he could. He couldn't help the smirk that crossed his face when he saw the surprised expressions on all their faces. Couldn't blame them really, after all it wasn't everyday you come home to a room full of strangers taking up residence in your living room. The former pet turtle wanted desperately to go over to his friend and beg him for forgiveness. However, now was not the time, and he was certain it would fall on deaf ears.

"You cannot hide from him forever. This place isn't that big," a deep growling voice behind him said and Slash turned around to see Leatherhead.

He nodded in agreement before I replied, "Now isn't the time. He needs to be with his family right now and I won't get in the way of that…besides it looks like he found a decent replacement."

Leatherhead and Slash both look over towards the black haired teen walking beside Raph. The boy was tall and scrawny but looked tuff as nails.

"That would be Casey Jones. Big heart but completely insane and to tuff for his own good…you two will get along splendidly," Leatherhead explained to the turtle.

Slash gave the croc a playful glare and a light punch to the arm before he said, "I'm gonna go patrol. I'll be back later."

…

Dover watched as the teens stared at the amount of people now residing in their home. It was certainly a shock to their system, but he needed them to focus on the task of Splinter. Quietly he walked over and rested a hand on Miwa's shoulder.

"We must continue. Your father needs you," Dover explained.

The girl nodded her head and got the attention of her little brothers before Dover led them towards Master Splinter's room.

"What exactly has happened to him?" Miwa asked as they walked in.

"When our pod came across Splinter and his group, we simply thought him injured. However, as we used our blood to heal him we discovered he had been poisoned," Dover explained making them all gasp in shock.

"We take turns using our blood to heal him, but the poison is strong. We are barely keeping it at bay with our strength combined. He is also unable to be reached through a mental link which tells us his spirit is far from him," the merman said they approached Splinter's bed.

They all stared at their father in shock as he laid in his bed, his face twisted in pain as he slept restlessly. Without a second thought the turtles went to his bed and reached for him to ground him and silently tell him that they were there.

"Is…is he going to die?" Mikey asked looking up at his brothers with an expression that reminded them of a kicked puppy.

Raph was quick to reach over and give his brother's shoulder a supportive squeeze before he said, "Of course he isn't. He's just stuck right now so we gotta go find him."

"Right?" Raph added looking over at Dover desperate for a confirmation.

The merman calmly nodded his head and replied, "Your blood brother is not wrong. Splinter's spirit has not crossed over. It is simply lost in what our kind calls the spiritual realm. However, that does not mean that he cannot be found."

Leo looked over at Dover with determined eyes before he asked, "What can we do to bring him back?"

Dover sighed before he replied, "To find his spirit, you must go deep into the spiritual realm. To the place where one is neither dead nor alive."

"How are we supposed to do that? We've barely stepped onto the spiritual plain and that was dangerous enough," Donny said looking worried.

"I'll do it," Miwa spoke up quickly.

The teen stood confidently while ignoring the looks that her brothers were giving her. She knew exactly where her father was. She had been there twice before, and she could do it again if it meant bringing him back home to them.

"Miwa-"

"I said I can do it Leo," Miwa said interrupting her brother and giving him a hard stare.

"This is pretty serious business. Are you sure you'll be alright?" Donny spoke up.

"Father trained me to travel the spiritual plain after he'd found out I'd accidentally gone there on my own. I can do this. I will bring father home," Miwa explained.

The four turtles gave their sister a concerned look before they looked at each other as if they were sharing a silent conversation. Finally, it was Mikey that nodded to her and gave her a confident smile that she quickly returned. The youngest turtle quickly went over to his big sister and wrapped his arms around her hugging her tight.

"If you do this, you better promise that you're gonna come home with him," Mikey said quietly into her ear.

"Of course," Miwa replied hugging her youngest brother back.

Leo, Raph, and Donny quickly went over and joined them in a group hug beside their ill father's bedside. After a moment Miwa stepped away from her brothers and looked at them with a determined expression.

"Alright, if I'm going to do this then I need you guys to leave father and I alone. I need silence to concentrate properly and I might have better luck finding his spirit if I am near his body," the teen said.

"Alright. We'll just be outside the door to make sure you aren't disturbed," Leo replied while the other's nodded in agreement.

Without another word, everyone left the room leaving Miwa and Splinter behind. Once the room was empty, Miwa sighed before turning her attention to her father. Silently, she made her way over to the bed before reaching out and clasping one of his paws her hands. She gave it a gentle squeeze before she leaned over and lightly kissed him on his cheek.

"I'm coming for you father," Miwa promised.

With that, the teen made herself comfortable on the floor. She crossed her legs and laid her hands on her knees. She closed her eyes as she took a breath and was soon deep in meditation.

…

It had felt like an eternity since Hamato Yoshi had felt so peaceful and happy. The grass he was laying on was soft and comfortable. The gentle breeze blowing through his hair felt like the relaxing gesture of a loved one playing running their fingers through his now human locks.

However, those sensations were nothing compared to the feeling of holding his beloved wife in his arms once again. He was not sure how it was possible but some how he was being able to actually _hold_ his wife in his loving embrace.

Yoshi was quickly beginning to think that perhaps this time, he wasn't returning to his body.

 _'Would it very awful if I didn't go back?'_ Yoshi thought as placed a loving kiss on his wife's head.

Tang Shen smiled before she opened her eyes and looked up at her husband and said, "Yoshi, I need to tell you something."

"What is is it my love?" Yoshi asked.

"I think the borrowed time we've had together may be coming to an end," she replied.

"No-"

"Yoshi," Tang Shen said sternly silencing her husband.

"It's time," she said.

* * *

All done for now. Don't forget to review and tell me what you think. Till next time lovely readers.


	13. Chapter 13

Vixen felt strange being back in the city. Although she had to admit, the sewers were a part of it she hadn't explored before. It was also a relief to be in a place without any recollection. As they had driven through the city, her mind tortured her with memories of the past. Places her brother and his wife had shown her when she first came to New York to live. Moments with her husband Patrick, which made her heart ache like nothing else.

 _'Perhaps he was able to escape from this nightmare'_ Vixen prayed as she stared at all the terrified people who had suffered at the hands of the Krang.

She sighed before her eyes drifted over towards the door which behind it held her dear friend who was fighting for her life. It was difficult staying away from him when she so desperately wanted to go be with him.

 _'There are others that need my attention more'_ Vixen thought as she looked over at the children sitting together.

The turtles all looked scared out of their minds. April had one arm wrapped around Leo who was trying not to cry his eyes out in front of his brothers. For once, Donny could have cared less that the red head was giving someone else her attention. The purple masked turtle stared at the floor, on the verge of a panic attack. Beside him Irma sat silent and unsure as she rubbed circles on the turtle's back. Casey had gone into big brother mode when he saw Mikey's eyes filled to the brim with tears. The teen had quickly pulled the turtle into a hug. Casey let the fun loving teen cling to him while whispering assurances into Mikey's ear.

Vixen quickly noticed that one of the turtles and her daughter were missing from this scene. She looked around before quickly finding them not far from the others. She couldn't hear them, but it wasn't hard to figure out what was going on. The pair stood in front of a dent in the wall. Alopex held Raph's hand in hers inspecting the bruising that was happening. Words were said before the turtle's large form began to shake with sobs and the smaller fox pulled him to her chest before wrapping her arms around him. Vixen couldn't help smiling proudly of her daughter in that moment. She had inherited that large heart of hers from her father.

 _'I hope I have trained her enough to know how to protect it'_ Vixen thought as she continued to watch the pair embrace.

…

"Why do you wish to send me away?" Splinter asked his wife as felt his heart breaking just as it did the day he lost her.

Tang Shen placed her hands on the sides of her husband's face before she replied, "I do not wish to send you away, my love."

"Then why?" Splinter demanded as he placed his hands on top of hers, desperate to gain even one more moment with Tang Shen.

"Yoshi, you are among the living and I among the dead. If you stay much longer then your body will die," the woman explained.

"So what?" Splinter replied angrily.

"Yoshi!" Tang Shen said surprised as she stared at her husband in shock.

Splinter turned his back from his wife before sighing heavily and quietly said, "Tang Shen, I'm tired. I'm tired of fighting, tired of hiding…I'm just tired."

…

After the initial shock of finding their father in a poison induced comma, they realized there was really nothing they could do at this point. The teens all decided that they needed to keep themselves busy or else they were going to go insane.

Leo looked around at all the humans and mutants in their lair before he declared, "We need to find who is in charge of the humans and who is in charge of the mutants."

"What makes you think the mutants aren't in charge of the humans?" Raph asked.

The turtle gazed at his brother before turning his attention back to the group and replied, "They're all sitting together as equals, joined forces. I have no doubt that before they all got here there was someone leading their groups."

"Casey and I can probably sniff out whose looking after the humans if you two want to see who's running the show for the mutants," April suggested.

Leo nodded before he said, "Sounds good. Meet us back here in an hour regardless of whether you've found anything or not."

Both teens nodded their head before they took off into the crowd. Leo then turned to Mikey and Donny before he said, "I'm going to bring Raph with me. I need you two to stay here and watch over sensei and Miwa."

Donny and Mikey looked like they wanted to argue but reluctantly nodded their heads. They would never say it out loud, but the siblings would never ask any other to watch their family other then each other. Not that they didn't trust their friends but because they were over protective enough when one of them was vulnerable. With _two_ family members needed the clan protection, they were downright possessive.

"What can we do?" Irma asked.

Leo looked over at her and Alopex with a surprised expression before Alopex said, "Well we aren't just gonna sit here twiddling our thumbs so tell us how to help already."

Raph couldn't help smirking in amusement as he watched his oldest brother flounder. Never in his life had the red masked turtle ever seen Fearless get caught off guard in leader mode. He looked over to the fox. When he caught her eye, he smiled at her before mouthing _'thank you.'_ Alopex simply returned the smile before giving the turtle a wink.

"Alopex, I need you to see if you can find out about what's been happening since we've left. Any information can help us," Leo said.

The fox nodded in reply before she melted into the crowd of people that were living in their home. As she left, the boys couldn't help feeling a little bit envious of the girl's ability to hide in plain sight. Once Alopex was out of view, Leo turned his attention to Irma.

"Irma, you're the only one of us outside of Donny with medical training of any kind. So, I want you to check Donnie's lab for any medical supplies we have and make an inventory. If we need anything then we can get it on a supply run," Leo said.

The teen quickly nodded her head before looking at Donny and asked, "Where is your lab?"

Donny looked at Mikey and his brothers with an unsure expression before Leo said, "Take her to the lab Donny. We won't leave till you come back."

The purple masked turtle nodded his head before he left to take Irma to his laboratory. Mikey watched his brother leave with a feeling of unease in his chest. Normally, he wouldn't care if his ninja trained brothers wandered off alone. Heck, he'd probably give his bros a piece of his mind for babying him the way they were right now. However, this was not a normal situation for them. Not by a long shot. With everything so messed up, the siblings had gotten especially over protective of their little family. Needless to say, splitting was not any of their idea of a good plan; but it was the only one they had.

When Donny returned, Leo and Raph reluctantly left to find whoever was that running the show on the mutant side of things?

…

Vixen watched the others go, leaving behind their youngest brothers. The fox decided that for now her place would be to watch over them as they watched over their father. At the thought of Yoshi, she looked over to the paper doors to the room where her friend laid fighting for his life. She wanted so much to go to him but admittedly she felt terrified at the idea of seeing him again. Aside from the obvious, she had changed so much since the last time they had met last. She had moved on, found love, had a child. No longer was she the Emily he knew so long ago, would he even recognize her?

There was also another reason Vixen was so terrified of facing Hamato Yoshi once more. Since the day she left Japan, Emily carried the guilt about the death of her clan. Oroku Saki had discovered her feelings for Yoshi and had approached her about joining him so that they could both be avenged. The girl immediately refused his proposal to his surprise. Emily tried to get to Yoshi in time to save him and his family, but she was to late. In the blink of an eye, everything she held dear was destroyed…and she had no one to blame but herself.

 _'It will not happen again. I will not allow it'_ Vixen thought to herself willing away the memories of that awful night so many years ago.

She looked once more towards the boys sitting in front of their father's door and smiled. Since encountering the children in the woods, she quickly fell in love with them. She imagined what it would have been like for Yoshi raising such children all these years, and couldn't help shaking her head in sympathy towards her dear friend.

She looked once more to the door to her friend's room but this time without hesitation and mumbled, "Rest easy my friend. I will not fail your family a second time."

…

It was a few hours later when the turtles, Casey, Irma, and April were gathered once more outside Splinter's room. None of them found who they were looking for, but they had quickly spread the word about who they were and that they wanted to talk to whoever was in charge. Alopex had yet to return so they hoped she was having better luck then they were. As they talked, the four brothers kept stealing glances towards their father's room. It was clear they were becoming anxious as they waited for their sister to emerge from behind the door with their father in tow. They were quickly distracted when plates were dropped in their hands and they all looked down to see hot food in front of them. The teens all looked up to see a smiling Vixen holding her own plate of food before she sat down to join them.

"There is no more you can do other then wait. I suggest that until Alopex returns and your guests find you that you resume taking care of yourselves and training. Ninjas are no good to anyone if they do not keep their strength up and I am certain your father would scold me severely if he woke to find his children malnourished," Vixen explained.

Reluctantly the teens all began to eat their meals. Leo took a bite from his plate before looking over at Vixen. It was easy to see she was a mother the way she watched over them all to make sure they were all actually eating. When he caught the fox's eye, he gave her a warm smile and a grateful nod. It was nice to know that while they were looking after their father and each other, that someone was watching over them all. The group sat in silence as they ate their meals.

Other then Vixen, they were all so lost in their own thoughts that they didn't hear footsteps approaching them. It wasn't until the fox spoke that they even noticed the presence of another person there.

"Can we help you?" Vixen asked calmly while her posture was tense and defensive.

"I simply wish to visit with old friends," the deep rumbling voice said.

Mikey instantly recognized the voice and looked up to see Leatherhead staring back at him with a toothy grin.

"Leatherhead!" Mikey yelled in excitement.

The orange masked turtle immediately flung himself at the gator without a second thought and wrapped his arms around his neck. Leatherhead quickly returned the gesture and held the turtle against his chest. When the gator heard the distinct sound of sniffling coming from his friend, he tightened his hold.

"It's good to see you as well my friend," Leatherhead whispered in the turtle's ear.

On a normal day it would have been easy for the older turtles to tease Mikey about how he gave hugs like a barnacle. After all the shit they had just gone through and after everything they lost, they decided to let it slide.

"Vixen this is Leatherhead. He's practically family," Leo explained before turning to the gator.

"You're a sight for sore eyes big guy," Leo said giving the mutant a big smile.

"I am sorry I could not come to you sooner, my friends. It falls to me to take care of things while our alpha team does patrol," Leatherhead explained as he helped Mikey to stand on his feet.

"Wow, you guys must have some leader for you guys to be able to organize an alpha team," the masked turtle replied.

"We do not have one leader per say. It is more like a council of mutants and humans who make decisions regarding its charges. Up until Splinter succumbed to the poison, he was apart of creating the council. It was also he that brought us here to safety," the croc explained.

Vixen smirked as she watched the turtles stand a little bit taller as they spoke to their friend. The children were clearly proud of their father and what he had achieved in their absence. In that moment the fox realized that the best thing she could do to help Yoshi and his children was to overcome her fear so that she could unite them.

"You guys have practically created another form of civilization down here," Donny commented as he looked around and observed how everyone worked together regardless of whether they were mutant, mermaid, or human.

Leatherhead nodded before he replied, "Through a common loss we have created a Utopia of sorts I suppose."

"You guys made juice?" Mikey said sounding hopeful.

Raph promptly flicked the side of his baby brother's head before Donny replied in an annoyed voice, " _Utopia_ Mikey, as in people living in an idealistic society. They are _not_ , I repeat, they are _not_ making _Fruitopia."_

"Lame," the orange masked turtle sighed sadly.

The eldest turtle promptly ignored his brothers as he turned to the croc and asked, "If it's not too much trouble Leatherhead, is it possible that we could meet the members of the council?"

"It is interesting that you ask such a thing of me, my friend. Part of the reason I came to you was so that I could take you to meet the council. They have been interested in meeting you since I told them the children of Master Splinter have come home at last. The humans should join us as well of course," Leatherhead replied with a smile before turning to gaze over at the human teens.

April and Casey seemed quite comfortable around the gator. However, the same thing couldn't be said for Irma who was currently pale as a ghost. The alligator felt bad for making the poor girl so nervous and turned to them with the hope of easing her discomfort.

"Apologies, I don't believe I introduced myself. My friends call me Leatherhead," the croc said holding out one massive clawed hand.

"It's nice to finally meet you. I'm April," April said shaking his hand.

"Call me Casey. Heard a lot about you," Casey added following suit.

Leatherhead nodded to them both before turning his attention to the other terrified girl. He waited patiently and was rewarded by her slowly approaching him.

"I-I'm Irma…I've never talked to an alligator before," the girl said awkwardly as she shook his hand.

"The pleasure is mine. You have nothing to fear from me," Leatherhead replied gently. Irma managed a small smile and nodded her head as she visibly began to relax.

"We should get going," the gator said as he turned to lead them through the crowd.

"Wait. Whose gonna stay with Splinter if we go?" Raph asked suddenly.

"Do not worry I will stay with Miwa and your father," Vixen quickly replied.

"Are you sure?" Leo asked.

Vixen smiled before she said, "I am sure, I must wait for Alopex to return. I will come find you if there is any change."

The fox then turned to the gator and bowed her head before she added, "It was good to meet you Leatherhead."

"You as well Vixen. I am glad that the turtles were able to find allies to help fight the Krang," Leatherhead replied.

"Destroying those vile slugs will be my pleasure," Vixen said.

The gator nodded his head approvingly before he replied, "We are going to get along splendidly, you and I."

Vixen watched as the children followed their friend into the crowd once more. It was only after they were completely out of sight the fox turned her gaze to Splinter's bedroom.

"Alright Yoshi. To hell or high water, I'm waking you up," Vixen said before she took a deep breath and made her way to way to Splinter's room.

…

"Yoshi…you can't stay here. It is not your time," Tang Shen explained.

Splinter turned away from his wife before sighing in frustration. He knew she was speaking the truth, but he did not to listen to it. She didn't understand what it felt like there compared to being here with her.

"You must understand…I do not want you to leave. I miss you more then you could possibly know," Tang Shen said quietly.

"Then why make me go?" Yoshi demanded as he turned to face his wife once more.

The woman looked at her husband sadly before he replied, "You have so much that you still have to live for my love."

At that moment, Yoshi instantly thought of his children. The looks on their faces when he fell was burned into his mind and broke his heart. He quickly shook his head not wanting to be deterred from his decision.

"Tang Shen…our children are almost grown. In just a few precious years they will leave me, and I will be alone. What will be my purpose when they no longer need their father or their sensei?" Yoshi asked his wife. Tang Shen stared at her husband hard before slapping him across the face in the hopes of smacking some sense into him. This place was affecting her husband's mind, tempting him like a siren's call to remain here among the dead.

Yoshi looked at his wife in shock before she said, "They are _almost_ grown Yoshi which means they are not yet adults and therefore by definition _children_. I am also going to pretend you did not just speak doubts about their integrity. Do you honestly believe that our boys and our daughter would truly leave you without looking back? They will never stop needing you, my love."

Tang Shen took her husband's face in her hands when she saw there was still doubt in his eyes and said, "This is not where your story ends Yoshi."

Yoshi blinked as he felt tears coming to his eyes before he sobbed, "Will the past never rest long enough to give me some peace?"

"Sometimes Yoshi, we must face the past before it can be put to rest…it is in the past my love that you will find your peace," Tang Shen replied smiling at her husband.

Yoshi looked at his wife in confusion before the distant sound of a voice filled his ears. He knew the voice, but he couldn't remember how. It was quickly becoming louder but he couldn't make out the words they were saying until at last he could make out his name.

 _'Yoshi...'_

"Who is calling me?" Yoshi asked.

Tang Shen looked up with a smirk before she replied, "It is the past."

Yoshi stared at his wife sadly before he whispered, "This is truly our final moment together isn't it?"

Tang Shen nodded sadly before she wrapped her arms around her husband and kissed him for the last time before she said, "I will always be with you and Miwa but you both must let me go. It is the only way I can help you heal."

Yoshi wrapped his arms around his wife and held her tight and whispered, "I love you."

"I love you to," Tang Shen whispered.

After a moment, Yoshi stepped away from his wife and gave her a brave smile before he said, "Alright, I'm ready."

"Brace yourself. I taught her well," Tang Shen said with an amused smile. Yoshi was about to ask his wife what she meant when he suddenly felt a sharp pain along the side of his face.

…

When Vixen walked into the room she was in for quite a shock. The first thing that caught her off guard was the silent teenager sitting on the floor with tears falling from her eyes. The fox quickly went to her side before pulling her into an embrace.

"What's happened?" Vixen asked worried.

"I-I can't do it…I don't know what's wrong, but I can't reach him. It feels like there is a force keeping me from reaching him no matter how hard I try…I failed," Miwa explained sounding extremely frustrated.

"It's alright. We will get him back," Vixen said in a gentle tone.

"How?" Miwa asked trying to remain calm.

"Let me try," the fox replied. Miwa stared for a moment in confusion before nodding her head.

Vixen smiled at the girl before rising to her feet and making her way over to the bed. The woman couldn't help stopping dead in her tracks when she saw the person laying in the bed. She knew that her friend had been turned into a rat, but it couldn't help coming to her as a shock to see him for herself. Silently she approached him and sat on the bed beside him. She took a minute to really look at the person Yoshi had become. She couldn't help smiling when she recognized facial features of the man he used to be. As she looked him over it was clear to see that the poison had done no damage to Yoshi nor was it any longer in his system. As far as Vixen was concerned Yoshi was being the lazy man she knew and simply didn't want to wake up.

 _'Still stubborn as an ox I see. What is it that keeps you away from your children Yoshi?'_ Vixen thought to herself in annoyance.

Vixen took a deep breath before leaning in until her lips were at his ear and whispered, "I would have thought you'd have grown out of having the same sleeping schedule as a cat, old friend."

As the fox spoke softly into Splinter's ear, Miwa watched is surprise as one of her father's ears began to twitch. The more she spoke the more he twitched, however he simply refused to wake from his slumber. Vixen sat up and sighed at the unconscious man looking very annoyed with him.

"Really Yoshi, you're being quite dramatic. Your body is completely healed, now you're just being lazy. What would Tang Shen say if she saw you right now," Vixen scolded before an idea struck her.

"What would Tang Shen do indeed," Vixen mumbled to herself before giving Miwa a foxy smile.

Miwa was about to ask her what she was about to but stopped herself when Vixen giggled and gave her a wink.

"I learned this trick from your mother," Vixen said before she turned to Yoshi and smacked him gentle yet firmly across the cheek.

"Wake up!" the fox shouted.

The moment Vixen's hand made contact with Splinter's cheek, his whole body jolted to life. Miwa watched in shock while the fox looked quite pleased with herself. At the same time movement seemed to happen in the bed. Miwa quickly moved to the side of the bed and watched in amazement as Splinter slowly but surely began to open his eyes.

"Father," Miwa said as she felt her eyes filling with tears.

"Miwa…" Splinter whispered feeling overwhelmed that she was truly in front of him and that this wasn't a dream.

"Can it be true? Have my children come home at last?" he said as his heart swelled with joy.

"We're here father. We're here and we're all okay," Miwa replied as she squeezed Splinter's hand in hers.

Splinter squeezed his daughter's hand back before he noticed another person in the room with them. He looked over and taken back by the creature sitting on his bed. When he looked into her green eyes, Splinter gasped feeling like he'd seen a ghost.

"I know you," Splinter said in a surprised tone.

"It's been a long time Yoshi," the fox replied.


	14. Chapter 14

"This cannot be possible," Splinter said as he continued to stare the eyes of the woman he thought had long since died along with his wife.

"Your mind is not playing tricks on you Yoshi. I am here," Vixen replied gently.

Splinter turned his shocked gaze towards his daughter before Miwa explained, "We found each other after we escaped New York. She protected us."

Miwa decided to say no more after that knowing that Vixen's story was not hers to tell. The teen caught the fox's gaze over her father's head and smiled when she gave Miwa a grateful nod. With that Miwa decided now was a good time to make her exit so that the pair could speak in private.

"I should go get the guys and tell them you're awake. They've been going out of their minds worrying about you," Miwa said.

"Not you of course," Splinter teased.

"Of course not. Unlike some people I had no doubt you'd return safe and sound to declare me your favorite child," Miwa replied before giving Splinter a cheeky smile on her way out the door.

With Miwa out of the room, both Splinter and Vixen became very uncomfortable. The pair sat in an awkward silence wondering if they should say something first.

'We're acting like children. This is ridiculous' Vixen thought to herself before clearing her throat to fill the silence.

"It is good to see you again Yoshi," she said with a warm smile.

Splinter reached for her hand and squeezed it tight before he replied, "We were so sure you were lost in the fire…it broke our hearts. Seeing you again gives me joy I cannot put into words."

"I thought I lost you both as well. I was devastated when I couldn't find you," Vixen said squeezing his hand back.

"I have to admit…I'm surprised you recognized me like this," Vixen said gesturing to herself.

Splinter smirked before he replied, "Emily, I think you could have turned into a hermit crab and I would still recognize those eyes. There is no other in this world that have them."

Vixen felt herself blush from head to toe and thanked her lucky stars that her body was covered in fur hiding it. It had been a lifetime since she heard her name on Hamato Yoshi's lips. It sounded just as sweet now as it did then.

Suddenly it dawned on her what was happening and mentally scolded herself for letting those emotions rise to the surface once more. She would not burden Yoshi or the children with her feelings for her own selfish gain.

Vixen decided that she needed to change the subject quickly before she said, "So old friend, do tell me how a pain in the but such as yourself ended up raising those children."

Splinter chuckled before he proceeded to tell Vixen the tale of how he lost his daughter and gained four mutant turtle sons.

…

Trying to follow Leatherhead through the crowd was like trying to walk through molasses. Everyone had a hand on the person in front of them so that they didn't get lost in the sea of humans and mutants. The gator could feel the anxiety in the turtles about being surrounded by so many people. He looked down to see Mikey overwhelmed and gave the turtle's hand he was holding a gentle squeeze.

"Almost there my friends. Not much further," Leatherhead said over the noise of everyone.

True to his word, the gator led the teens through the crowd and into an open space. All of them breathed a sigh of relief once they were out.

"Talk about a tight squeeze," Donny said.

"You get used to it after a while."

All the teens looked up to see who had spoken to them. The turtles' eyes all turned into saucers when they saw who was standing in front of them.

Casey leaned over to April and whispered, "Is that who I think it is?"

April said nothing but nervously nodded her head and took a step back. She had never met the turtle personally, but she had definitely heard the horror story of what he had done.

"Sp…Slash? You're alive?" Raph said as he stared at his friend.

"Ya…it's me," Slash replied nervously.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Leo demanded looking furious.

The massive turtle held his hands up in surrender before he replied, "Leo, it's okay. Master Splinter-"

"There is no way Master Splinter would let you return here after what you did to this family," Leo roared.

The eldest turtle was about to make his way closer to his little brother's former pet when a hand on his chest stopped him. He looked to see that it was Leatherhead that stopped him from moving any further.

"This may seem ironic coming from me, but you need to calm down. Master Splinter has been working with Slash for some time to recover. He is not the same person you once knew," Leatherhead explained in a gentle but firm voice.

Leo looked at the gator in shock before turning his gaze towards Slash once more and gave him a hesitant look.

"You have every right not to trust me. What I did was unforgivable, but I swear I'm better now," Slash said and much to Leo's dislike the turtle seemed sincere.

"What exactly was wrong with you?" Mikey asked nervously as he stood defensively beside Raph.

Slash reluctantly looked over towards the orange masked turtle before he replied, "Long story short…the doc says I had a mutagen overdose. Kind of like the equivalent of a human taking to many drugs and messing up their brain. There…there was some permanent damage, but Master Splinter was helping me."

The turtles didn't know what to make of what Slash said. Before they could ask him anymore questions, they were interrupted by a human man walking over.

"Slash! What the hell is with all the yell-"

The man that was walking towards them stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the group of teenagers standing in front of him. The teens were pretty surprised themselves to see an older version of Casey Jones with a beard standing in front of them.

Casey and the man were completely silent as they stared at each other. Everyone else watched in anticipation at the staring match, wondering if they should be witnessing this.

"Dad," Casey finally whispered. The hope and desperation in his voice betrayed his strong front making him very much look like the scared fifteen-year-old that he was.

The other man said nothing as he quickly closed the distance between him and his son. Arnold wasted no time pulling the kid into his chest and held on to him for dear life.

"Where the hell have you been?" Arnold sobbed into his son's hair as he felt Casey shake in his grip.

"Long story," Casey mumbled into his dad's chest as he clung onto his dad just as tightly.

Arnold couldn't help the chuckle that escaped his lips before he pulled his son away. The man couldn't seem to find it in himself to lose physical contact from his eldest just yet and held him by the arms. April wasn't sure the guys had noticed it or not, but she couldn't help but smile when she did. While Arnold was checking his son over, he didn't notice that Casey was doing an inspection of his own of the older man.

"I ought to ground you for the rest of your life for scaring ten years off mine," Arnold teased as he ruffled his son's now longer hair.

"I tried to call but somebody had their phone off," Casey replied with a smirk.

"Sorry about that kid. My phone smashed while I was getting us the hell out of dodge," the older man replied.

"I get it, it's cool. I'm just glad you're okay. Where's Angie?" Casey asked looking around.

"She's with some friends. I don't like her being alone when we go up," Arnold explained.

The older man caught movement out of the corner of his eye and noticed the group of teenagers watching them. He looked over and smirked as he instantly knew who these kids were. Especially the one wearing orange with the beaming smile, waving at him awkwardly.

"Dad, I want you to meet my friends," Casey said pulling his dad towards the group.

"Well it's about freakin' time," Arnold replied as he followed his son towards them.

Arnold couldn't hide the smirk on his face when he noticed the turtles stand a little bit straighter as they approached them.

"I feel like I already met you boys from the way your old man talks about you," Arnold said as he held out his hand.

Leo immediately stepped forward and shook Arnold's hand as he said, "It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Jones. I'm Leonardo and these are my brothers."

"Pleasure is mine kid and please call me Arnold. Mr. Jones is my old man and I fuckin' hate that guy," Arnold replied with a smirk before he gave Leo a pat on the arm.

Leo stood dumbstruck with eyes the size of dinner plates. Leo was used to talking to adults like Master Splinter and Isla so he literally had no idea how to respond to Casey's dad.

The eldest turtle simply nodded his head and replied, "Yes sir."

Raph, Donny, and Mikey couldn't help chuckling at their brother before they quickly introduced themselves to Arnold. The older man quickly shook Donny and Mikey's hand before turning his attention to the nervous red masked turtle.

"I've been especially wanting to meet you boy," Arnold said as he shook Raph's hand

"Is that a good thing?" Raph asked nervously.

The older man barked out a laugh before he put a hand on Raph's shoulder and started walking away from the others. Leo, Donny, and Mikey stared curiously at the pair while Casey just smirked. He had recognized the look on his dad's face and relaxed when they walked away.

When Arnold felt like they were far enough away, the man turned to the turtle and said, "Don't worry this isn't an intimidation talk, I'm saving that for Angie's first boyfriend. I just wanted to tell you that I'm glad Casey found a friend in you. Sometimes it takes a hot head to understand a hot head and it seems to us that the two of you seem to bring out the best in each other."

"Us?" the red masked turtle inquired.

"Your dad and I. He noticed a change for the better in you around the time I noticed it in my boy. Apparently, that was about when you two met. The girls may have got him on the right track with the tutoring, but…it was you that brought Casey back to life. You're the best friend he's probably ever had so as far as I'm concerned that makes you and your brothers part of our family," Arnold explained.

The turtle was shell shocked. It wasn't often that Raphael Hamato got emotional but in this case, he was more then willing to make an exception. To hear that his father thought he was changing for the better was an amazing feeling. He always felt like he was letting Splinter down. On top of that this was the first time a human had met his family and immediately accepted them, never mind being thanked for making their lives better just by being there. To hear that he inspired somebody to be a better person meant more to him then he could ever put into words.

"Son, look at me," Arnold said as he wrapped one of his hands around the back of Raph's neck.

When the turtle met his gaze, the man smiled and said, "When this shit is over, and life gets back to normal, our home is your home. You, your dad, and your brothers will always have a place to stay in my home, you understand? You need a safe place to go when you're pissed, you're sad, scared, change of scenery, whatever reason then you come to us."

Raph couldn't seem to bring himself to talk with the luge lump he had in his throat. The turtle simply nodded his head before he felt arms wrap around him.

Arnold gave Raph a few minutes to get himself together before he said, "Come on. We got a lot to catch up on."

…

Arnold and Slash led the teens over to a group of children being watched over by a group of mutants. The turtles immediately recognized pigeon Pete but there a few fresh faces. Beside Pete was a grumpy looking cat with one eye and a gecko wearing surfer clothes.

Leo and Raph were particularly interested in the other two mutants that were with them. While Raph was staring at the lizard girl standing with Pete, Leo had his eye on the female turtle sitting on the floor playing with the children.

One of the girls playing on the floor with the turtle looked up when they approached. Her face broke out into a huge grin when she saw them and was on her feet in a flash. Leo immediately recognized the little girl from the night he ended up having a tea party in exchange for a mutagen container back.

"Mr. Turtle!" the little girl cried as she ran towards him.

Leo knelt in front of the girl before she wrapped her arms around his neck tightly. The turtle felt odd being hugged by the little girl, but he had to admit it…he didn't hate it.

"Mr. Turtle, the aliens took my daddy and I can't find mommy. It's scary down here and I want to go home," the girl said as she clung onto Leo for dear life.

The turtle hugged the terrified child and cursed the krang for what felt like the millionth time before he replied, "It's okay kid. We came back to help fight the bad guys."

"Really?" the child asked looking at him with scared eyes.

"You bet, and then when everything gets better I still owe you a tea party," Leo added.

The little girl's eye lit up like a Christmas tree before she asked, "Can Venus come?"

Leo stared at the child in confusion before a figure kneeled beside them. Leo looked up to see a turtle with stunning hazel eyes before she said, "That would be me. I would love to come to your tea party if Mr. Turtle says it's okay."

The blue masked turtle gave the girl a goofy smile before he nodded his head.

Another little girl a little older then the one that ran to Leo with black and purple hair looked up to see what the commotion was about. When she looked over at the group she looked directly at Casey before tears filled her eyes.

April noticed Casey smile before he knelt on the floor and opened his arms wide to the girl sprinting full force towards him. She watched in fascination as Casey held the sobbing girl protectively and whispered in her ear as he ran his fingers through her black and purple hair.

None of them had seen this side of Casey Jones before. Nurturing and sensitive were not two words one simply used to describe the hockey crazed vigilante. The teen gently pulled away from the girl before leading her over to meet the guys. The whole time he never once let go of the child's hand as he introduced them all.

'He's cute when he's been sweet like this' April thought not realizing that she was smiling.

"April…you might wanna come back down to Earth. You look like you're gonna start drooling soon," Irma teased. The girl had been observing her friend as she stared at the black-haired boy with hearts in her eyes.

The red stared at her friend with a huge blush on her face before Irma said, "It's okay to like him April, you're aloud to have crushes on guys."

"I know it's just…it's Casey," April admitted looking embarrassed.

"So, what?" Irma replied.

April stared at her friend in disbelief before she said, "You of all people are shipping me and Casey? I figured with you and Donny hanging out all the time you'd be well…team Donny."

Irma shrugged before she admitted, "Casey may be the biggest pain in the ass in the world but he's not a bad guy… and you're not the only girl in the world with a crush April. At least yours is human."

The red head's jaw dropped as she stared at Irma looking embarrassed herself before she said, "Are you kidding me right now?"

"No and no I don't want to talk about it," Irma replied with a glare.

"Oh, we are so talking about this. Why haven't you said anything?" April asked.

"I'm not the one he wants April. I'm his friend and his lab partner…I'm the girl you ask to help you out in science class, not the one you ask to the prom," explained.

The girl looked over to see April giving her a sympathetic look before she said, "Don't you dare look at me like that April O'Neill, I'm a big girl. I'm not gonna chase a guy who doesn't want me. If he thinks I'm worth his time he knows where to find me."

April said nothing but smiled at her friend as she reached over and squeezed the girl's hand. Irma quickly squeezed back and returned the smile. She knew she had the right to be jealous that April had the ability to catch the eye of almost every guy in school. However, she loved April a hell of a lot more then she would ever care about some boy.

…

Shredder looked down upon the fallen city of New York. He had just been informed by the krang that the turtles had returned at last. After months of waiting he would finally finish what he started three months ago.

"Master Shredder."

The man glanced slightly over his shoulder towards the mutant Tiger bowing to him respectfully before he demanded, "What is it?"

"They're here," Tigerclaw replied as he stared at the ground.

Shredder looked back towards the city and replied, "Bring them in."

* * *

That's all for now. Thanks to everyone who reviewed. Till next time friends


	15. Chapter 15

It had taken a while, but Miwa had finally found her brothers and their friends surrounded by other mutants and humans. She ran over to them before taping Raph on the shoulder to get his attention.

"You guys need to come back now," she said.

Raph quickly gathered his brothers before they followed their sister back through the crowd towards where they left their father. There was no time to ask Miwa what happened so the turtles were left wondering what had happened to their father.

Before they knew it, the turtles were back to Splinter's room and wasted no time running inside to see their father. When they got inside, all four brothers stopped dead in their tracks when they saw him. He didn't notice them at first standing in his doorway as he gave his childhood friend his undivided attention. It was when Mikey made the hiccup sound he always made right before he burst into tears that Splinter looked in their direction.

"I'll give you some privacy. I still need to find my little ninja," Vixen said before she stood up to leave. She gave each of the teens a warm smile as she left the room.

Once they were alone Splinter looked at the terrified faces of his children before he said, "Come to me my sons."

The turtles wasted no time going to their father's side before Splinter wrapped his them in his arms. He didn't care that they were getting to old or big for this, he would never get tired of holding his children. Splinter quickly noticed he was missing a child and looked up to see Miwa smiling down at him with her arms crossed.

"Will you not join us?" Splinter asked.

"I don't do cuddles," Miwa replied.

"You do now," Raph said before he wrapped an arm around his sister's waist and pulled her into the Hamato pile of limbs and chuckles.

The family sat quietly as they relished their first moment together in months feeling relieved that they were able to do this. Splinter took that moment to really see how his children were doing, his heart broke when he saw how defeated they all looked and held them closer. Although physically fine, it was clear that all of their spirits were very much in need of healing. Splinter decided in that moment that this war could take a great many things, but he would not allow it to take his family.

Deciding to take a chapter out of his youngest son's book. Splinter decided that to lift their spirits he must do what he did best. The former human smirked as an idea came to him before he decided to break the silence.

"You missed curfew," Splinter suddenly said killing the moment as he heard all five of his children groan making him chuckle.

…

Tigerclaw's eyes locked onto his master as he led two men into his throne room. For the past few months Shredder had stared out that window as if he were looking for something but could never find it.

"Master Shredder your guests have arrived," Tigerclaw said.

Shredder nodded his head as he continued to stare out the pane of glass before he said, "Leave us."

The mutant tiger nodded his head respectfully before turning and leaving his master alone with the two men. The first was a large, muscular, blond-haired, and grey-eyed man. Besides the scars on his face and body, his most distinguishing feature was his diamond crusted eye prosthetic. His clothing suggesting he was a high ranking Russian military officer. The other man was tall, and although he appeared thin he was in fact quite muscular. He had dark skin, and a purple mohawk with a matching visor covering his eyes. The man looked as though he had time traveled from the future with his glowing purple jumpsuit.

Shredder turned to face the pair with an unreadable expression before his eyes glanced over to the large man and greeted, "Ivan Steranko."

His eyes then glanced over to the other man and greeted, "Anton Zeck."

"Shredder," the man known as Ivan replied bowing his head slightly.

"Many thanks for inviting us to your home," Ivan added.

"Ya sweet crib," the other man piped in making the other two people in the room look at him oddly.

Ivan turned back to Shredder before he said, "Your invitation mentioned that you had a delicate job that required our skills."

Shredder nodded his head before he explained, "I want you to retrieve my daughter. She seems to be under the impression that because I am not her biological father that she does not have to listen to me. She became my property the minute I forged her birth certificate and I want back what's mine."

"What are you offering exactly for us to plan this _loving_ family reunion?" Anton asked

"You have my word that you will be handsomely rewarded. Perhaps I can even make arrangements for you to leave the city," Shredder replied.

To be able to leave the city of New York was worth more then gold. For anyone who hadn't been mutated yet it was a living hell. There was very little resources left including food and fresh water. People were constantly hunted and feared for their lives.

"Shredder I have to ask...if the girl does not wish to come quietly..." Ivan asked trying to be careful with his words.

Shredder stared at him for a moment before he replied, "You have permission to do what needs to be done to bring her back to me."

Ivan raised an eyebrow to his employer before he asked, "How is it that you plan to make the child compliant once you get her back?"

"The good doctor is taking care of Karai's little disobedience problem for me," Shredder replied.

...

Splinter felt nothing but peace and happiness despite that he was still recovering from the effects of the poison. His children regaled him with stories of the the farm house and how they had met Vixen after she saved their butts.

As he listened, the former human couldn't help but notice that one of his children seemed distant and more then a little surprised to find that it was his youngest son. The usually excitable turtle seemed as if he was happy to have his family whole again but at the same time felt a longing for something.

Without taking his eyes off his children who were talking, Splinter reached over and grabbed his son's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. Mikey looked down at the hand before looking over at his father who was giving him a questioning look.

A knock at the door got everyone's attention and they all looked up to see that it was Arnold Jones. The smiled when he saw Splinter awake and promptly went to the man's side.

"Little birdy told me that Sleeping Beauty was finally awake. Thought I'd see for myself," Arnold said as he took a seat beside his friend.

"It is good to see you my friend. Judging by that look on your face I assume that I am not the only one to have my children return home," Splinter replied.

"Safe and sound," the human replied with a grin.

"Now that your ass is up, you can help me babysit all these freakin' kids," Arnold added earning himself annoyed looks from the Hamato children.

Splinter put his hand over his chest before he said, "I am suddenly feeling extremely ill. Can't get out of bed."

"Ill my tail Yoshi. You'll be up by the end of the week if I have anything to say about it," Vixen said from the doorway with her arms crossed.

"This is how you treat your old friend after all these years?" Splinter asked with a mock hurt expression.

"When said old friend is a pain in the ass then yes," the fox replied.

Splinter chuckled at his friend before something caught his eye and he looked over to see a smaller white fox standing beside Emily looking unsure. The older fox's followed her friend's line of sight to see what he was looking at before she decided introductions were in order.

"Yoshi, I have someone I'd like you to meet," Vixen said resting a hand on the younger foxes shoulder.

"This is Alopex. She is my daughter."

Splinter looked up at Vixen in shock. He shouldn't have been so surprised at the fact that Emily had moved on with her life after they lost their clan. He was happy that she had found peace after that hellish night. That didn't stop the slight ache in his heart that he had at the moment of the idea of Emily starting a family and finding happiness without him and Tang Shen. The opportunity stolen from him to take Tang Shen and Miwa to America to go see Emily, to meet her family. Perhaps Miwa and Alopex would have grown up together as friends as they had done.

 _'Yet another thing denied to us because of the Shredder'_ Yoshi thought bitterly as he smiled at the teen.

"It is a pleasure to meet you," Splinter replied nodding his head to the girl.

"Alopex, this is my dear friend Hamato Yoshi," Vixen said to her daughter.

The fox turned her hazel eyes to the rat before smiled shyly and replied, "It's nice to meet you sir."

"Well, I hate to cut this short but I think we need to let Yoshi get some rest," Vixen said when she noticed the former human's eyes struggling to stay open.

The teens groaned before the fox demanded in a no nonsense mom tone, "Let's go, file out ninjas."

The Hamato children all said goodbye to their father before reluctantly following Vixen and Arnold out of the room to let him rest. Mikey had stayed sitting on the bed beside Splinter till the last possible second before he finally stood to leave. However, before he could go anywhere, Splinter grabbed his sons arm making the turtle stop and look at his father.

Mikey gave Splinter a questioning look before his sensei said, "You spirit is heavy with loss my son. Tell what what has happened."

The orange maske turtle gave his father a sad smile before he replied, "Don't you worry about me sensei, I'm a tuff ninja. Just worry about getting yourself back on your feet and kicking our shells in training.

Splinter smiled before he said, "You are strong there is no question about it. You are also my son Michelangelo. I will always put your needs and the needs of your siblingss before my own. That is what it is to be a parent."

The usually happy go lucky turtle tried desperately to hide the sadness in his eyes from his father but knew it was a losing battle. Once sensei knew something was wrong with his children, he would move heaven and Earth to fin the cause of their distress to try and remedy it.

"Meet half way? You get better, then we can talk. Deal?" Mikey said hoping his father would take his compromise. As much as he wanted to talk to his father about Maya...he still felt pretty raw about not having her by his side.

Splinter could see the conflict his son was having an decided that just for now he would honor his child's wishes before he nodded his head.

"Very well my son this can wait...but we will be having a discussion," Splinter replied while giving Mikey a stern look.

"Hai sensei," Mikey said.

Splinter sighed in defeat before he released his son's arm to let him leave his side. As he watched his youngest leave the room he vowed that he would do everything in his power to get out of this bed, not only for Michelangelo but for all of his children.

...

As the turtles left Splitner's room, they were quickly greeted by April, Casey, Irma, and their mutant friends. Word had quickly spread about Splinter waking up from his coma and quickly come to give their support.

"Is he really awake?" April asked them.

"Yeah. He's awake. He needs rest but he's going to be okay," Leo replied with a tired smile on his face.

April quickly pulled him into a hug as she said, "That's amazing news you guys. When can we see him?"

"Maybe tomorrow. He was pretty tired from just sitting up and talking to us," Miwa replied.

"So, what do we do now?" Casey asked.

"For now, we rest. We didn't find much while we were up top today. We're going to have to scour further away if we're going to find any food or supplies for everyone. Our stock is getting really low and I don't want anybody to start panicking," Arnold explained.

"We could really use your help," the human added turning his attention to the teens.

They all looked back at the man like he had just said the most ridiculous thing in the world before April smirked and said, "Like you even have to ask."

Arnold returned the smirk before he replied, "Alright then. Rest up, we head out at dawn."

* * *

Sorry for the short chapter. More to come soon. Thanks for all the follows and reviews, till next time.


	16. Chapter 16

It was an ungodly hour that the teens hadn't seen in a very long time. Leo, Miwa, and Alopex seemed to be handling the early rise fine but the others looked like walking zombies. To make matters worse, coffee had become extinct since the Krang appocalypse had taken control of the city.

Arnold and Vixen dared a glance at each other before both of them broke into a smirk. They tried desperately not to laugh but the 'zombie ninjas' were making it pretty difficult.

"I wish you luck dealing with them," Alopex whispered to the human.

"Likewise. I don't know which one of us got the rawer deal here," Arnold replied.

The fox looked over at him which a questioning glance before he explained, "I may have to deal with them, but you've gotta keep their daddy in bed."

Vixen sighed before she replied, "You're a cruel man to remind me of my dark fate."

Arnold chuckled before he tried to comfort her and said, "At least you'll have April and Irma helpin' you out."

"They'll be in the lab today working on producing more retro mutagen. I doubt I will be able to rely on them very much," she replied.

Arnold looked at the fox seriously before he said, "You gonna be okay dealing with him by yourself? We usually had to have a couple people stay with him so he wouldn't overdo it before he started getting really sick."

Vixen chuckled before she replied, "Of course I'll be fine. This isn't my first rodeo dealing with a sick Yoshi."

The human couldn't help bursting out laughing, earning himself some serious glares from the sleepy teens. Arnold then gave his undivided attention to the children as he saw the rest of their team coming into the room.

"Alright, listen up. Today we have to treck to the South side of the city. There's nothin' left around here so we're gonna have to take the risk and go further. I want everybody to eat before we leave and take two rations with you. We probably won't be back till nightfall," Arnold explained.

"Is it that bad already?" one of the humans asked nervously.

The turtles recognized this human. He was the one that they saw delivering pizzas in their neighborhood.

"We've got food supply for a while yet but we still need to stock up," Arnold assured him.

"I don't like this. We'll be gone to long and be leaving this place vulnerable," a cat mutant spoke up with his arms crossed.

"Venus, Mondo and Leatherhead are staying behind. Plus Vixen and her daughter offered to stay behind to look after everyone. They'll be safe Hob," Arnold said.

The cat sighed as he stared at the human with a tense expression before he nodded his head reluctantly. Hob knew that Arnold had something to protect here just as much as he did and wouldn't lie to him. That didn't stop him from worrying though.

"Get you gear together and meet me at the entrance in five," Arnold commanded.

...

After the group had left to go find supplies, Vixen decided to check on everyone before she went on babysitting duty. She walked with Irma and April to the lab, she made sure the girls had everything they needed to start their task. Before she left she warned the pair that she would be looking for them at breakfast in a few hours and they had better be there.

The girls quickly nodded their heads and set an alarm on April's phone before the fox was satisfied enough to believe them. These children got so focused on their tasks that they could go unhealthy amounts of time without taking care of themselves.

Once the girls were taken care of, Vixen made her way to the open area where everyone was still sleeping. The only one awake at this hour was Leatherhead, who was sitting by a group of children and silently watching over his sleeping charges.

"A fellow early riser I see," Alopex said with a smile as she sat beside the gator. She wathced in amusement as the mutant's tail was held tightly in a little girl's hand.

"Angel gets nervous when she wakes up alone without her family. I promised I would be here when she woke up. The others started sleeping close by soon after...they tell me I make them feel safe," Leatherhead said smiling warmly at the children.

"You are a natural with them," Vixen complimented.

"I like them. They are not frightened of me and even want to play with me. They help me find calmness and peace very much like Michaelangelo," Leatherhead replied with a toothy grin.

Vixen returned the smile before she said, "Speaking of children, have you seen my feral daughter this morning?"

"If I am not mistaken I believe she was bringing Splinter some tea. I saw her enter his room but I do not recall seeing her leave," Leatherhead replied.

"Thank you," the fox said before gracefully rising to her feet.

"Enjoy the peace and quiet while you can," she added smiling at the sleeping children that surronded the content gator before making her way towards Slinter's room.

She heard the pair talking as she walked into the room. They had yet to notice her watching them as Splinter regailed Alopex with stories of when they were ninjas of the Hamato clan in Japan. Vixen couldn't stop the smile on her face as she watched the pair interact. Much to her mother's surprise, Alopex looked completely comfortable as she gave Splinter her undivided attention. The girl had a smile on her face as she listened to the story. In turn Splinter seemed to genuienly enjoy the girl's company.

"Are you serious?" Alopex gasped.

Splinter nodded his head in amusement before he explained, "She was surronded by several ninja twice her size yet she was not afraid of them. They did not think a woman, especially one as small as her, could possibly take on one of them let alone all of them at one time. They were very mistaken. The moment our sensei called the match to begin, she moved her body in a deadly dance that took out all of her enemies without any weapons. Never in my life had I seen such precision and grace as I did that day watching your mother fight."

Vixen couldn't help the blush at Splinter's discription of her style of fighting. She never thought highly of her skill back then and often doubted herself. It was Yoshi who would always tell her how proud he was of the fierce ninja she had become.

"Did she ever master a weapon like your children did?" Alopex asked.

"A ninja is a master of all things...except cooking in Yoshi's case," Vixen said as she stepped out from her hiding place surprising both her daughter and Splinter.

"I recall a certain ninja never being able to master nunchucks and I'll have you know I kept four boys alive on my cooking for fifteen years," Splinter replied crossing his arms in a playful pout.

"Will miracles never cease," Vixen teased as she sat beside her daughter.

"Good morning little warrior," the fox greeted her child as she nuzzled her head.

"Morning mom," the girl replied enjoying the attention.

It amused Splinter as he watched the pair that Alopex was just as tactile as her mother. Having the younger fox sit with him and chat over a cup of tea made the former human feel like he was speaking with the Emily he once knew and loved. As they talked he couldn't help but wonder if the woman that had found him was still his Emily from all those years ago.

He looked back at the younger fox who was another man's daughter before an ahce filled his chest and a strange thought came to mind _'No_ _Emily was never mine, was she?'_

"Alopex would you kindly go check on the girls in the lab for me," Vixen said to her daughter.

"I'm on it," the girl replied.

She then turned to Master Splinter and bowed her head before she said, "Thank you for the tea and stories."

"Thank you for the visit," Splinter replied before the girl left the room.

When Alopex was gone the former human turned to his old friend before he commented, "She very much reminds me of another spirited warrior I once knew."

"That girl grew into a woman but she never stopped being a warrior," Vixen replied.

"You continued fighting when you came to New York?" Splinter asked in surprise.

The fox nodded her head before she said, "I taught in a small dojo and competed in tournaments. My husband Patrick would even come to my matches."

An ache once again gripped Splinter's heart when he saw the look on Vixen's face when she mentioned her husband. He had no idea what happened to the man but it clearly impacted his old friend dearly.

"Your husband sounds like a good man," Splinter said.

"He was a great man," Vixen replied with a sad smile.

Splinter didn't know why but he felt that he needed to get off the topic of Emily's husband. He felt something burn inside his spirit at the very mention of him, an emotion he wasn't familiar with. However, he couldn't help wondering why this Patrick was no longer raising his daughter along side his wife who clearly loved him.

As much as it discomforted him he asked, "If you can bear it, I would very much like to hear about the life you built for yourself here."

Vixen looked at Splinter in surprise and hesitation. The rat was about to take back his request when the fox spoke up before him. As much as it terrifed her she spilled everything from who her brother was in America and how he and his wife invited her to live with them, to how she met Patrick. She told him about her battle with endometriosis and the devestation they both felt facing a future not beng able to have children.

"He abandoned you because you could not produce a child?" Splinter growled.

Vixen quickly shook her head before she replied, "He didn't want to leave. He swore up and down he could be happy with it just being us...I let him go. I could see how much he wanted a family and I could never deny him that. He begged me not to do it but in the end I got my way and he agreed to give me a divorce."

"Emily..."

"After that I went with my brother and his wife to start over outside New York and help him with their daughter. We lived peacefully until the Krang attacked...we lost my sister in law and I was held captive for months being mutated and experimented on. When I realized I was pregnant I fought with everything I had to escape those creatures. Fourteen years after that your children found me and the rest is history," Vixen explained.

Splinter stared at the woman in front of him in complete shock. What could he possibly say to her after hearing the hell she had gone through since he had last seen her.

"Don't look at me like that Yoshi, my life is not a great tragedy. I have my daughter which is more then I could have ever hoped for. My mutation destroyed my disease, so I am completely healthy now. I am not a victim of circumstance, I am a survivor of my trials," Vixen said sternly.

The rat shook his head and smiled before he said, "You are truly amazing."

Vixen smiled as she reached for Splinter's hand and gave it a squeeze before she replied, "You're not so bad yourself."

The former human gave a soft chuckle for he said, "I still can't believe we didn't lose you in the fire. It is truly a miracle."

Vixen suddenly became very stiff at the comment. Guilt filled her chest as she recalled what happened all those years ago.

Vixen cleared her throat before she whispered, "Yoshi I have a confession…one that I truly hope you can forgive me for."

The former human gave her a concerned look before she explained, "There was a time when we were young that I…may have had feelings for you. Feelings that went beyond that of friendship."

Splinter looked at the woman in disbelief. He had been truly ignorant to the girl's affection. There had been a time he had considered feeling the same for her. That was until he had met his wife, he had even asked Emily to help him woo Tang Shen. He felt like a perfect fool in that moment.

"I kept my feelings to myself only ever revealing them to Tang Shen. Saki over heard us and approached me," Vixen said making Splinter's face darken at the mere mention of his former friend.

"He told me that out of all the members of the clan, I was his favorite. He respected my skill and honor for the clan…He wanted me to join him in his crusade for vengeance so that I could get justice for my broken heart. I refused him," Vixen said.

"How did you escape him?" Splinter asked in a tense voice.

"I didn't, he let me live. He said out of respect he would let me live but we couldn't have me ruining his plans. He slammed my head against a wall and I blacked out. I woke up in a shed covered with a blanket over me and a bandaged head. I got up to go to you and Tang Shen to warn you but it was already to late. Everyone was dead, our home was in flames, and I was alone…Yoshi I am truly sorry," Vixen explained as she stared at the disturbed looking man.

Splinter said nothing as he pulled Vixen into his chest and wrapped his arms around her in a bone crushing embrace.

"You did nothing wrong. There is nothing to forgive. Do you understand me?" Splinter whispered into her ear.

Tears fell from the fox's eyes as an enormous weight lifted from her shoulders. Vixen nodded her head as she returned the hug.

…

The group was silent as they walked through the deserted streets of New York City. All of them were on high alert for anything coming there way. Miwa felt especially on edge as they walked. She couldn't shake the feeling that she was being closely watched. She was about to say something to Leo when something caught her attention out of the corner of her eye. She and the others turned just in time to see a canister flying towards them.

"AMBUSH!" the girl cried before the group quickly moved out of the way.

The canister hit the ground before it explodes into a thick cloud of smoke. Miwa quickly found her brothers and waited with them for the smoke to clear.

When it did, they were horrified to see that they were not alone. Before them stood two men. One large man in military gear and the other a tall skinny man in a high tech jumpsuit.

"Who the hell are you guys?" Raph demanded.

"It is not your business who we are freak," the large man said in a thick Russian accent.

"All you need to know is that you hand over Karai and it'll be all good baby," the man beside him said with a grin.

The turtles instantly started pulling out their weapons as they stood closer to their sister. Miwa pulled out her own before she said, "Karai doesn't exist, she never did."

"Master Shredder wants his property back," the large man said calmly.

"Tell Shredder he can rot in hell," Miwa hissed.

"How about you tell him yourself," the large man said before he charged.

Behind him the guy in the techy jumpsuit started shooting at them with his mohawk of all things. The teens quickly jumped out of the way of the barrelling man. Raph, Miwa, and Mikey went after the big, blond beast while Leo, Casey, and Donny took on his purple loving partner.

The man Leo and Donny were fighting was slippery like an eel. He always managed to dance just out of their reach while at the same time was shooting at them with his hair.

The larger man proved to be a force to be reckoned with. Raph could tell from personal experience that getting hit by one of his punches was like getting hit in the face with a cement block.

Miwa was about to land a blow on their opponent using her katana when she felt the man grab her by the arm and slam her into the ground. The girl felt stunned and couldn't seem to move her body as the man grabbed something out of his jacket and threw it at her brothers.

Raph quickly grabbed Mikey and threw them both to the ground before a sonic bomb went off right above them.

"Comrad Anton, we have the girl. Let us be getting out of here," the blond man said as he picked up the dazed Miwa and threw her over his shoulder.

The man now named Anton shot at Donny and Leo before he replied, "Right behind you Ivan."

Leo felt the blast hit his arm before he fell to the ground. He looked at his wound to see the burn mark the blast had left behind. He turned his gaze over to Donny who was holding his left leg before he turned to see the large man known as Ivan about to walk away carrying Miwa.

Leo was about to get up and go after them when he saw a golf ball being thrown at Ivan. The golf made a direct hit in the man's face before it exploded with pepper spray.

"FOUR!" Casey yelled as he skated towards the man as he cried out in pain.

The teen punched the man in the stomach and tazed Ivan with his hockey glove. The minute Ivan dropped Miwa, Mikey ran to her side.

"Oh I don't think so," Anton said as he went to attack Miwa and Mikey.

"Sounds like a personal problem," Arnold said jumping out of nowhere.

The older Jones used the bug zapper powered tennis racket from his son's collection and smacked the man across the head. Anton screamed as he felt volts of electricity shoot through his entire body and short circuit his suit. Donny had run over to Mikey to help him carry Miwa away from her would be captors. They took her over to Leo and Raph quickly followed them.

Arnold ran over to the teens before he said, "Slash took the rest of the group to continue on without us. We need to get you guys back home.

The turtles nodded in agreement before Mikey pulled out a smoke bomb and threw it to the ground without a second thought. When the smoke cleared Ivan roared in rage that they had lost their last chance to leave the city. Worst of all was that they had to go back and tell Shredder they had failed.

…

Shredder was sitting on his throne waiting for the two men when they arrived. He growled when he saw that they were empty handed.

"Well? Where is my daughter?" Shredder demanded.

"We were unable to get her to return I'm afraid," Ivan replied.

Shredder slammed a fist onto his arm rest before he said, "This was the only opportunity we had to get her back. Now that she knows that she is being hunted, there is no telling when she will resurface once more!"

"We probably would have done a better job if you had told us she wasn't alone," Anton piped in defensively.

Shredder glared at him before Ivan added, "He is not wrong Shredder. We did not have the strength to take on her, mutants, and human friends."

"Maybe if you had supplied us better. We'd be having a different conversation," Anton said.

Shredder sat silently as he listened to the two men. He seemed to be considering something before he spoke.

"You're right. I clearly overestimated your abilities. I'll see to it that you are both…amply supplied with all the strength you need," Shredder said.

Anton and Ivan looked at each other with a smug smile before they felt grips on their arms holding them tightly. The pair looked over their shoulders to see Fishface and Rahzar staring at them in amusement.

"Take them to Stalkman. He is waiting for them," Shredder commanded them.

The two mutants led the two humans out of Shredder's throne room leaving the man sitting in silence. Not long after they left Shredder allowed grin on his face as he heard the two men's screams turn from human to animalistic.


	17. Chapter 17

I am sooooooo sorry for how late this chapter is. It was a stressful month getting into a car accident and trying to find a new vehicle among other things. I made it an extra long chapter to make up for it. Enjoy

* * *

Ivan looked down at his hands in horror before he screamed in rage. Anton was in no better shape as they came to terms with what had happened to them. The pair had been mutated, forced to become the very things they despised. Shredder walked into Stalkman's lab at that moment looking quite pleased with himself. He stared at the distraught rhino and warthog, without remorse.

When Ivan noticed Shredder's presence, he turned to him and demanded, "What have you done to us?!"

"I have simply punished you appropriately for your failure and given you what you asked of me at the same time," Shredder replied calmly.

"You turned me into a pig! How is that even close to what I asked for?" Anton cried.

"You now have the ability to properly complete the task I asked of you. When I am satisfied you will have not only your freedom from the city but also the antidote to allow you to reverse the mutation," Shredder explained.

Ivan and Anton gave each other a thoughtful look before Shredder added, "What other choice do you have?"

…

Vixen looked up in confusion when she heard the footsteps coming towards the lair. She had recognized them and wondered what the children were doing back so early.

"Mother?" Alopex asked her mother.

"Something is wrong," Vixen replied quickly before she ran to the door with her daughter close behind her. They got to the entrance at the same time as the teens. She quickly looked them over before she saw Miwa looking dazed.

"What happened?" Vixen demanded as she reached over to take Miwa's weight off of Leo.

"We got attacked by two goons working for the Shredder. He wants Miwa back," Raph growled as he recalled what the pair had said to his sister.

Vixen recalled from Yoshi about what had become of Oroku Saki. The fact that the man went by Shredder now and believed he owned a child that he kidnapped, which quite frankly pissed her off.

"The rest of the group went to complete their mission," Arnold added.

"Come inside," Vixen said before helping Miwa walk into the lair.

"Go tell your father what has happened. I will take Miwa to be checked over," Vixen commanded.

"I'll go with you. I know my lab," Donny said stepping forward. The fox nodded before the purple masked turtle wrapped Miwa's left arm around his shoulder and helped to get her to the lab. Once they got there, Vixen helped Donny get Miwa up onto the medical table.

"What's going on?" April asked as she came over to the medical table.

"Long story short...Shredder sent goons for me cause he's a giant tin pain in my ass," Miwa hissed with a pained expression.

"I'm just gonna make sure you don't have a concussion," Donny explained as he held his sister's head with one hand and shined a light in her eye with the other.

Vixen watched the examination with her arms crossed over her chest. None of them said a word as they watched Donny work until the sounds of footsteps fill the room.

"Master Splinter slow down!" Leo's voice echoed into the room for Splinter came rushing in looking panicked. Vixen quickly caught the man as he collapsed from exhaustion, looking desperately around the room for something. The fox knew what her friend was looking for and began reassuring him.

"It's alright, she's fine. They brought her back home," Vixen whispered to Splinter as she helped him stand on his own.

"Father, what are you doing? You shouldn't be out of bed," Miwa scolded her father form the examination table.

Splinter took a moment to catch his breath before he replied, "I needed to see for myself that all of my children came home."

"Other than a few bumps and bruises, we're all in one-piece, sensei. No concussion," Donny assured his family.

There was a collective sigh of relief before Splinter looked at his children with a serious look before he said, "You are all forbidden from going to the surface. All of you."

The five children immediately exploded in protest but one look from their father instantly silenced the teens. Miwa looked over to Vixen for help but the fox quickly shook her head before nodding her head towards Splinter. Miwa gazed over and really looked at her father before she noticed how his body shook from the effort of standing instead of resting in his bed. However, it was the look of pure terror on Splinter's face that finally made Miwa back down.

"We'll lay low for now..." Miwa said looking at her brothers.

She then turned to her father and added, "...but we can't hide forever."

"We can discuss this later. Let's get you back to bed," Vixen said as she started leading Splinter back to his room to get some rest.

The teens watched as Vixen helped their father walk back towards his room. Never in their life had they seen their father look so exhausted.

"So, what do we do now?" Mikey asked looking over at his siblings.

The four older teens looked at their youngest brother before at each other with unreadable expression. Before anyone could answer, Raph growled before he stormed out of the room. Mikey instinctively went to go follow after his brother but was stopped by hand on his shoulder. The orange masked turtle looked over to see Donny shaking his head.

"You know the routine with him Mikey. Give him a couple hours to cool off and then he'll come to us," Donny said.

…

The red masked turtle had gone straight to his punching bag to take out his frustrations and for once it had nothing to do with being confined to the lair. He was mad that his family had to keep looking over their shoulders just to stay alive. He was mad because his father looked scared and there was nothing he could do about it. Raph gave a cry of rage before he slammed his fist into the punching bag before it fell of its hinge...again. Exhausted from burning off energy, the red masked turtle decided to go rest in his room where he could hopefully get privacy. As he made his way down the hall he noticed a light from his youngest brother's room and became curious. Quietly the red masked turtle approached the room and looked inside to behold an unexpected scene.

The orange masked turtle was looking down at a comic book in his hand with a sad smile on his face and tears in his eyes. He had yet to notice his older brother as he gently handled the glossy pages of his precious treasure.

Raph quietly knocked on the door as he said, "Mikey, you okay?"

The younger turtle looked up at his brother in surprise before he smiled and replied, "I thought I lost this...I was just kinda tidying up cause I'm bored and found it under the bed."

Mikey seemed lost in his own thoughts as he looked back down at the comic lovingly and explained, "It's the one Maya bought the night we met."

Raph's heart shattered as he watched his baby brother trying desperately to hold himself together behind a fake smile.

"Did I ever tell you about that night Raph? She had her hair down and she was wearing that cute flower dress with a denim jacket...I remember she made this little squeak sound when I grabbed her phone out of her pocket...I'd never met anything so cute in my life," Mikey rambled as his emotions slowly got the better of him.

Without a second thought, Raph went over to his baby brother before he wrapped him in his arms and held him tight as Mikey broke down. The kid had been putting on one hell of an act during training and getting back to New York but he couldn't hide it anymore. Normally after Raph has a blow up, he goes go to the youngest turtle to vent but this time it was his little brother's turn to let off some steam. Mikey was in pain, he needed to have a minute to let himself be sad and Raph was more than happy to be there for his brother while he fell apart in his arms.

"When's the last time you two talked?" Raph asked gently.

"A month ago. She said she loved me and that she wanted to come home," Mikey tried to reply between sobs.

"This hurts so bad bro," a turtle added making his brother cling onto him tighter.

They all knew how powerful team M&M's bond was and how it caused them pain to be separated for so long but it had to be done. That didn't stop Raph from wishing he could bring the mermaid home so that they both be back where they belonged.

"I know it hurts kid and we are so proud of you both for being so strong. She'll be home soon Mikey and then I'm gonna personally make sure nobody takes her away from us again. I promise," Raph whispered in his brother's ear.

"Thanks bro," Mikey replied in a soft voice as he slowly began to settle down.

"Anytime knucklehead. Now let's get you into bed," Raph replied before he spun his brother around and led him over to his bed. Mikey was asleep before he hit the pillow. It made Raph realize that this was probably the first time the usually happy go lucky turtle was sleeping properly in months. The older turtle cursed his brother's ability to hide his problems from everyone.

"He okay?" A quiet voice asked and Raph turned to see Slash standing nervously by the door.

It was strange hearing the large mutant turtle ask how Mikey was doing, considering that not too long ago it was him that was trying to take out the orange masked turtle along with the rest of their family. Raph felt bad that he still felt compelled to keep Slash as far away from his brother as possible but trust was a delicate thing. It was hard enough for Raph to trust someone with something as precious as his brothers, but it was even harder to get back after that trust had been previously broken.

"Ya, he will be," Raph replied as he left the room and closed the door behind him to let his brother get some rest.

"When did you guys get back?" The red masked turtle asked.

"Not too long ago. We didn't find much so we're gonna need to go top side again soon," Slash replied as they made their way to Raph's room.

"Good luck with that. Splinter isn't letting us go topside after the fiasco that happened today," Raph explained with a frustrated sigh.

"Might not have a choice, we need supplies and we need to start expanding how far we go to find it. Gonna need all hands-on deck," Slash replied.

"You have fun telling that to Splinter," Raph chuckled.

Slash gave the other turtle a look before he asked, "This whole mess with Karai really freaked him out didn't it?"

"Ya, he's pretty scared...we'll have to figure out that mess tomorrow. For now...for now I just need to sleep," Raph admitted with a sigh. Slash knew that for Raph to be admitting to need sleep meant that he must be pretty damn tired. He gave his friend's shoulder a squeeze before leaving him to get some rest.

"Hey Slash," Raph called making the larger turn around to look at him.

"I couldn't say it earlier but it's uh...it's good to have you back. I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss having you around," Raph admitted.

"Haven't gone anywhere buddy, just got bigger," Slash replied with a smirk making the smaller turtle chuckle.

"Good night Raph," the turtle said before he turned to leave.

"Night Spike," Raph replied before he went inside his room and closed the door behind him.

Hearing his old name made Slash stop dead in his tracks before he turned and stared at the door of his former owner. With a new-found hope that he could fix his friendship with the other turtle, Slash walked away with a smile on his face.

…

A few days passed uneventful which gave the group a chance to plan their next move. Shredder or no Shredder, they still needed to find a way to defeat the Krang and take back New York City. Raph had thought that after the other night Mikey would have been more chilled out but it seemed to have the opposite effect. All of them had noticed that the youngest seemed anxious and gittery like he was waiting for someone or something. Splinter was especially concerned for the wellbeing of his youngest son. However, before he could speak to him about his anxious spirit, Michelangelo came to him.

"We need to go, sensei. They need us, we have to up," Mikey said desperately.

"My son, slow down. Who needs us?" Splinter asked.

The turtle looked at his father looking anxious before he replied, "There's pod that need us. They've been calling out to us."

"It is true," a voice said.

Splinter and Mikey looked up to see two mermen staring at them looking just as anxious as Michelangelo. One stepped forward before he said, "Our pod has reached out to us. The call cannot be ignored."

"I thought all of the merfolk were accounted for," Splinter replied in surprise.

The merman shook his head sadly before he said, "We know we are alive through our bond but we suffer from the pain of separation...please, this one must bring his mate and children home."

Splinter was very much caught off guard and felt put on the spot as he listened to his son and the merman beg him to help. He knew he would have to eventually send his children back to the surface but he was not expecting that moment to come so soon. However, he could not dismiss their plea to save innocent people.

Splinter gave the man a sympathetic look before he replied, "Of course. Michelangelo, get the others."

"Really sensei?" Mikey asked as he smiled excitedly.

The rat smiled as he saw the light shine back in his son's eyes for the first time since before the invasion and replied, "They are part of Maya's pod and therefore part of our clan. We will bring them back along with any other survivors you find."

"Thank you," the merman said before leaving to gather a rescue team together.

Mikey quickly hugged his father and thanked him over and over again before the turtle took off out of the room to find his brothers.

"Your kind heart has once again allowed you to overcome your fear Yoshi," Vixen said as she stood a few feet away.

Splinter looked over at the fox before he replied, "I am still afraid but I refuse to live in fear."

"Then you are truly the most fearless one of us all," Vixen stated as she smiled proudly at her friend.

Splinter gave the fox a warm smile before they both made their way towards where Mikey and the mermen had gathered a rescue team. So far Mikey had found his siblings, April, Casey, Alopex, and Leatherhead while the mermen had gathered more of their pod to help them search. Splinter was surprised with how quickly everyone had come together but that was nothing compared to how shocked he was when he saw Slash walk over to his youngest. The three older turtles instinctively stood closer to their youngest as Raph's former pet made his way over to Michelangelo. He stood in front of the smaller turtle looking nervous before he finally spoke up in a quiet voice.

"If it's alright with you...I'd like to help. I usually come on rescue missions as muscle but I won't if you don't want me to," Slash said.

Mikey was taken back by the request but quickly smiled and replied, "Of course you can come dude. This is gonna take teamwork and last I checked you're on our team. We can play maceball with the Krang."

Slash smirked as he held his mace and replied, "Sounds like fun."

…

The group moved quietly and quickly as they were led by Michelangelo and the merfolk through the empty streets. Everyone kept their eyes peeled for any signs of life that they may find, whether it be mermaid or Krang. It seemed futile when they couldn't find anyone until at last, someone called out through the link.

'Over here. We are here' a woman's voice called out.

"This way," one of the mermen whispered before he disappeared down a dark alley.

When the merman returned he was followed by a group of merfolk as he held the hand of a woman with wavy silver hair holding the hands of three small children. All of them looked terrified as they gazed upon the group that had found them.

Mikey quickly went forward before he said, "It's okay. My bros and I are gonna take you somewhere safe."

One of the women suddenly smiled and said, "You are the princess' one."

The others seemed to quickly relax at the woman's statement and smiled at group before another man added, "This one is certain that we can rest easy under the protection of you and your pod."

The turtles and the rest of the rescue party were shocked at the immediate trust the merfolk gave them simply because of Mikey's presence. They watched in amazement as the youngest turtle took over the rescue mission and directed the merfolk from the rescue party to lead the others back to the sewers while they looked for more survivors. Slash watching the scene in amusement when he saw movement out of the corner of his eye. He was instantly on edge as he looked around the area. Raph noticed the tense expression on the larger turtle and turned his attention to him.

"What is it?" Raph asked quietly.

"Mutants, freshly turned. I can smell the mutagen wafting off of them," Slash replied just as quietly before he turned to Leo.

"We need to get these people out of here. Shit is about to hit the fan," he quickly explained to the oldest turtle.

Before Leo could reply to him, Slash stepped away from the group and began sniffing the air. Leo looked over to immediate younger brother to confirm that they were under attack. Raph gave him a nod before the oldest brother came up with a quick plan to get everyone out of there without scaring them.

"Mikey, come here I want to show you something," Leo said holding out his phone.

The youngest quickly bounded over before Leo wrapped his arm around him as he pulled him away from the others and said, "We're about to be ambushed.

There's a manhole cover back in the alley but we need to get them back there without getting them scared or alerting whoever is watching us to where they're going."

Mikey nodded to his brother before he said, "No sweat bro. I got an idea."

The orange masked turtle quickly looked over to a mermaid from the rescue party who quickly looked over back at him. Suddenly more sets of silver eyes looked in their direction without moving their heads as if they were all having a silent conversation. Leo wondered what they were up to until one of the children suddenly gasped.

"Mama! Coral dropped her bunny," a boy said and as if on cue the little girl beside him started sniffling as tears filled her eyes.

"Bun," the tiny girl whimpered as she stuck out her bottom lip.

Leatherhead heart nearly broke at the sight of the sad little girl and quickly went to her side before he said, "We will find your bunny little one."

"Yes, let us retrace our steps. We'll find it," another mermaid said. Suddenly Leatherhead and the merfolk began making their way back down the alley. The rest of the rescue party looked dumb struck at what they were seeing.

"We really don't have time for this," Miwa hissed over at Leo.

"Oh, yes we do. Stay on your toes we aren't alone," Leo quietly explained to the rest of the party.

Miwa looked at her brother confused before she looked over to the mermaids and saw the little girl holding Leatherhead's hand. The little girl looked back at her with a smile and winked at Miwa before she disappeared down the alley with the others. The human girl just smiled and shook her head, once again amazed by the talents of merfolk. She couldn't ponder on it any further when movement caught her attention and she looked over to see Slash slamming his mace onto the road.

"I know you're out there, jackasses. You might as well come out here before I come find you, and I will find you," Slash yelled out.

All was quiet for just a moment before a thumping noise could be heard from a distance that slowly got louder and louder. The large turtle braced himself as he looked down the street and saw a huge rhino barreling down the street towards him. Slash raised his mace and slammed it into the beast as soon as it was close enough.

The rhino flew into a wall and gave his head a shake before he said, "That feel tingly...I like."

"Is that who I think it is?" Donny asked when he recognized the voice.

"Son of a bitch. Where's the other one?" Miwa growled.

"Right here baby!" A voice said behind her before a purple blast went off beside her. Everyone jumped out of the way as they were surrounded by foot bots along with the other two mutants.

"What the hell happened to you guys?" Donny asked as he took on the warthog along with Leo and Miwa.

"The Shredder improved us in exchange for bringing him Karai. She come quietly and we give you quick death," Ivan said.

"Not gonna happen," Miwa hissed at him.

Anton smiled before he replied, "I was hoping you would say that."

The mutants and the foot bots all attacked the group at once in a massive ambush. Although they were many, the foot bots were not much of a challenge. However, the brute strength of Ivan and Anton's stealth and lasers were a force to be reckoned with. Mikey seemed to be keeping them fairly well distracted without realizing by trying to think of a name for the two mutants.

"They both have horns...I got it! The horny boys!" Mikey shouted as he dodged a punch from Ivan.

"NO!" Everyone shouted as they continued to fight.

"Alright let's see...Grunt and Snort? Wilbur and Rumpus? Dumb and Dumber?" Mikey listed off.

"You know I actually like that last one," Miwa said with a smirk.

"Those names are lame yoh! I thought you were supposed to be good at naming things," Anton snorted in rage.

"Alright! I'm thinking!" Mikey yelled back as destroyed another foot bot.

It was at that moment that he looked across the street at a big white van that parked in front of a store. The orange masked turtle stopped fighting and raised his hands in victory as he decided what to call their newest nemesis.

"BEBOP AND ROCKSTEADY!" Mikey shouted before Ivan tackled him to the ground.

"Not bad. Now stay still," Ivan said as he held down the turtle.

Mikey's eyes widened in fear as he saw the fist that was about to come down on him. Both he and the rhino were surprised however when the fist was stopped by Slash's mace. The massive turtle then wrapped his arms around the rhino's middle and ripped him off of the smaller turtle. Mikey quickly jumped to his feet to give Slash some backup. Raph and Alopex had come over as well to help them take on the beast.

"This does no seem like fair fight…you need more friends," Ivan sneered before he ran at them along with a group of footbots.

It was hard enough trying to defend themselves against the two new mutants, let alone from the sheer number of footbots. Try as they may, they were simply overwhelmed by the numbers. It wasn't long before the rescue team was separated from each other and taken down by their opponents. It was Ivan who had set his sight on Mikey and decided to take him out first. After he had slammed into him, Raph and Slash; he grabbed the turtle by his neck with a tight grip before he began slamming his body into the ground like a rag doll.

"Mikey!" Raph cried out to his brother as he tried to go to his rescue.

The sea of footbots that attacked took them down and took the youngest turtle out of sight. The others weren't fairing much better with their opponents as they too were beaten down by their enemy. Mikey tried desperately to get out of the rhino's clutches. He felt all air leave his lungs as he was once again slammed into the ground by the beast. This time when he hit the ground, Ivan's grip on his neck tightened. The orange masked turtle was well and truly terrified as he saw black spots dancing in the corners of his eyes. Right before he completely blacked out his last thought was of one thing…

'Maya'

The rhino smiled as he watched the turtle go limp and in that moment two things happened. The moment Mikey went limp, a great cry could be heard echoing through the air. Then suddenly the ground began to shake as if there was about to be an intense earthquake. Ivan and Anton looked at each other confused before manhole covers began blowing off of sewers as water shot up. It started from far off down the street but slowly got closer and closer.

"What the hell is going on?" Anton demanded.

The rescue team all started smiling as they all recognized that cry from anywhere. It was Casey that looked at the warthog and said in a sing song voice, "Somebody's gonna get it."

As if on cue the sound of something scrapping got the attention of the two mutants and the footbots. They all looked up to a terrifying sight of strange creatures walking towards them while humming. Leading them was a tiny, angry looking creature dragging two long narwhal tusks along the ground, creating sparks from the friction of bone hitting asphalt. Ivan and Anton looked unsure when the creatures that were coming closer suddenly stopped and stood in front of them looking menacing. The tiny creature leading the group stepped forward towards Ivan who simply smiled.

"You have problem tiny bug?" Ivan sneered at the creature.

'Not for long' the creature smiled as a voice filled Ivan's head catching the mutant off guard.

The rescue team had just enough time to cover their ears before the group released a piercing scream that instantly short circuited all of the footbots and brought the mutants to their knees. The creatures all spread out but the leader stayed in front of Ivan and brought one of her weapons around before pressing the sharp end into the rhino's neck forcing the beast to tilt his chin up and stare up at the creature.

'You attacked our pod. You injured Michelangelo. For your crimes, you will answer to this one' the creature hissed into Ivan's head and for the first time in his life, he felt true fear.

* * *

She's baaaaaaack! Don't forget to review and tell me what you think. Till next time readers!


	18. Chapter 18

Maya glared down at the mutant rhino with pure hatred as she pressed the tip of her sharp blade against his jugular. Ivan just for a moment thought the creature might actually kill him right then and there. Lucky for him however, one of the other creatures stepped forward and put a hand on her shoulder. The pair stared at each other as if they were having a conversation for several minutes before the girl sighed and pulled her weapon away from the beast's neck. That didn't stop her from sending the mutant a deadly glare.

'You are extremely lucky. You will live today monster' Maya hissed at Ivan.

The mermaid pulled up a hand as her sharp nails suddenly grew long and a wicked smile formed on her face before she added 'However, you will not leave here without punishment for your crime.'

In one swift movement, Maya handed her brother her weapons before she jumped Ivan and slashed him across the face. Antoine went to go help his partner but quickly found himself surrounded by Dylan along with the pod that came with them before they jumped him as well and began slashing at him.

Donny quickly made his way over to his fallen brother knowing his brothers and sister would cover him while he tended to Mikey. Slash and Casey ran ahead and worked together to take out the foot bots.

The purple masked turtle did a quick examination of his brother before he sighed in relief that the turtle was breathing. Gently he picked up his brother and began carrying him back towards their friends while being surrounded by the rest of their siblings.

The merfolk didn't stop their assault on the pair until they were lying unconscious and bleeding in the street. It was only then that the pod formed into their human forms and Maya looked exhausted. Dylan quickly approached his sister and began looking her over.

"You over used your power little sister," Dylan said to the girl.

"If it means that we all return home alive then this one will happily accept the consequences," Maya replied before she quickly made her way over to where Mikey lay prone on the ground followed by her brother.

"Beloved," Maya whispered as she looked the turtle over.

"He's alright but his throat will be a little sore when he wakes up," Donny assured her.

"We should leave this place. There is no doubt the creatures have heard us," Dylan said as he diligently watched their surroundings.

"What about the other pod?" Leo asked

"They have likely already found Isla and have returned to the safety of the lair…it was Michelangelo's idea," Dylan explained and he looked at the turtle proudly.

The group was shocked that the orange masked turtle had come up with such a complex plan and executed it so quickly. Leo decided they could contemplate Mikey's quick thinking later after they got him safely home. Without missing a beat, he jumped into leader mode.

"Alright, you heard the merman. Let's get the hell out of here," Leo ordered.

They all nodded as Donnie turned to pick up the youngest turtle. Before he could get to him though, he was taken back when Maya lifted Mikey off the ground as if he weighed nothing.

The mermaid noticed the jaw-dropped, bug-eyed expressions on her friends and the mutant turtle that had come along with them. The mermaid giggled at their reactions before she gave them a wink and a smile.

"Do not be troubled. This one promises she will not drop him," Maya said.

The merfolk all chuckled at the girl's comment as if they were all in on some grand joke. Miwa was the first to recover, and quickly began leading them all back home. It was tense as they made their way back. They had seen several Krang ships flying towards where they once were but had miraculously avoided being detected by the aliens. It wasn't until they were back at the lair that the group let out a collective breath that they didn't realise they were holding. Miwa went to go update Splinter about their mission while Casey and Slash went to get their new guests settled and get Leatherhead caught up.

Maya wasted no time making her way towards Donnie's lab. She appeared completely unbothered by the amount of people in her mate's home. Donny quickly follow after her so that he could begin looking over their baby brother.

Leo and Raph wanted to follow after them but knew that with the girls helping the purple masked turtle, they would just be in the way.

"Do not worry yourselves pod brothers. His injuries are minor and he is in the care of capable and trusted people," Dylan said confidently to the pair.

Leo smiled at the merman before he replied, "I know you're right but we're his big brothers. It's in the job description to worry."

"No truer words have been uttered brother," Dylan chuckled before he pulled Leo into a hug.

"It is good to see you all again. This one apologizes we were not here sooner," the merman said as he released Leo and pulled Raph into a hug as well.

"With an entrance like that, no apologies needed," Raph said with a smirk.

"You can give that credit to Maya. She conducted that water show and transformed all of us half way when she heard her one fall," Dylan explained with a proud grin.

Leo and Raph glanced at each other before the red masked turtle asked, "All that came from unlocking her powers?"

"That was but a small temper tantrum compared to what she could have done. I had to calm her mind to stop her from accidentally destroying the city," the merman explained to the shocked brothers.

"I thought her training was supposed to teach her to control her power," Leo said.

"Maya is in complete control over her abilities. However, she needs her one and her pod in order to control her emotions so that they do not cloud her judgement," Dylan explained.

As the merman watched the two brothers looking nervous, he feared that history would repeat itself and the turtles would once again try to keep Maya from her one. He was pleasantly surprised however, when Leo nodded his head as if he had just made a firm decision.

"I can set time for Maya and I to meditate. It should help keep her balanced," Leo declared

"I can show her how to use the punching bag and do some spars with her. It'll be somewhere she can be allowed to be pissed off for a while and let it out," Raph added.

Dylan looked at Raph confused before he asked, "You want her to deliberately come to you when she is angry and wants to tear something to shreds?"

Raph smiled before he replied, "Anger is a powerful emotion. It's like caging a wild animal in a poorly made prison, eventually it's gonna get out whether you like it or not. Now you put that wild animal in a sanctuary, and let it roam…suddenly that wild animal ain't so dangerous no more."

Leo looked stunned as he stared at his brother. Dylan on the other hand smiled and nodded his head.

"This one understands now. You wish to give her a safe place to release that emotion. You are very wise pod brother," Dylan said.

Raph just shrugged his shoulders and said, "I'm kind of a veteran rageaholic. Dealing with anger is just kind of my thing."

The merman felt as if a weight had lifted off his shoulders. The future king knew that he could return back to his pod confident that his sister would blossom with their land pod.

"Brothers, this one leaves Maya in your hands. There is no doubt that she is in the best care," the merman said.

Leo and Raph both smiled, feeling as if they had been trusted with the honor of protecting the merman's greatest treasure. It was feeling of responsibility that both considered the highest of privilege as older brothers.

…

It had felt like hours since they had returned. In reality it had only been an hour since they returned to the lair and tended to Mikey. Donny had only left a moment ago after assuring the mermaid that at worst Mikey would have a bad headache and a bit of bruising on his neck from the fight.

Maya hummed gently through their link as she ran her hands over Mikey's head.

'Rest easy beloved. This one has you' Maya whispered through their link.

The sound of the familiar voice made Mikey stir. The orange masked turtle groaned as he slowly opened his eyes. He blinked a few times looking surprised when he saw who was sitting with him.

"Am I dreaming?" Mikey asked in disbelief.

Maya smiled before she replied, "In the words of a certain elven princess, 'if it is, then it is a very good dream."

Despite the throbbing in his head, Mikey managed a smile and a chuckle for his mate. Then without warning he reached up and cupped the back of Maya's head before he pulled her down into a kiss. After months apart, it felt like the first rain after a drought.

'I missed you' Mikey said through their link.

'As did this one beloved' Maya replied.

The mermaid pulled away from the kiss and smiled down at her one. Mikey smiled back before he started moving over to one side of the bed. Maya stood up to pull back the sheets before she climbed into the cot and snuggled into Mikey's side, using his chest as a pillow. The turtle wrapped one arm around his mate protectively while using the other to pull the blankets up around them.

Unknown to the pair, Donny stood just outside the doors to the lab. He smiled as he peeked in to see Mikey and Maya laying in the cot together.

"As least one thing is as it should be," Donny said to himself as he watched team M&M together at last.

The tech savvy turtle smiled when he watched his baby brother pull Maya closer to him. Determined to let the pair get as much time alone as possible, Donny quietly closed the door and stood in front of it. He would not allow anyone to disturb the couple's much needed time together. They deserved that much.

…

Splinter wasted no time running towards the lab followed by Miwa and Vixen. Weakness or no weakness, nothing would keep him from his youngest son.

After Miwa had told him of what had happened, the former human had wanted to go his child at that moment. It was Vixen that convinced him that he would be no use to his son until he had gotten some rest first. However, when the lights throughout the lair began brightening to the point of nearly blinding, the former human changed his plans.

With his friend and his daughter at his side, he ran past frightened humans towards his son. When he got there, his sons, Dylan, and the rest of the teens were already there.

"Peace, Master Splinter. All is well, they simply got carried away," Dylan explained.

Splinter looked at the merman in surprise before he asked, "What is going on?"

The teen looked conflicted on how to explain this to the protective father before he finally said, "Maya and Mikey just…well they really missed each other."

Splinter raised an eyebrow at the young man as he heard his daughter chuckling beside him. He dared to gaze over at his sons who stood by the door looking both horrified and annoyed. Finally he glanced over at Vixen who was struggling not to laugh herself.

"Not a word," Splinter said to his friend.

Vixen held up her hands in surrender before she replied, "Not saying a thing."

The former sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose. He knew that eventually his son and his mate would become intimate. However, he was not expecting it to happen this soon nor was he as prepared as he thought he'd be when it finally occurred.

"I will go speak to them," Splinter said before making his way to the door.

Everyone watched as the former took a deep breath before making his way inside.

…

The minute he walked in, the two teens sat on the bed looking sheepish as they held hands. They looked like children that had been caught stealing cookies.

'That is because they are children' Splinter thought to himself as he approached them.

To say that the former human was nervous about this conversation was an understatement. He knew he couldn't let them completely succumb to their urges but he also couldn't get angry at them for something that was completely natural either. He decided that the best course of action was to ease slowly into this conversation.

"Michelangelo, your sister tells me you were injured. Are you alright?" he asks looking at his youngest son.

"Just a sore throat and a few bumps and bruises sensei. For a mutant rhino that guy hit like a marshmallow," the orange masked turtle replied giving his father a warm smile.

Splinter chuckled at the comment before he turned to Maya. The mermaid looked nervous until the former human smiled warmly and opened up his arms to her. The tiny girl smiled before she hopped off the table and hugged Splinter's middle as he wrapped his arms around her.

"I was wondering when you would come home to us. I have missed you my child," Splinter said in a warm voice.

"This one has missed you as well sensei," Maya replied as she hugged him back.

Splinter smiled before he pulled away from the mermaid and stared at the pair with a firm expression.

"There it is," Mikey commented casually as he watched his father's expression change.

"Did you find something beloved?" Maya asked her mate.

"Yeah. I found the 'you're in trouble face'. I've been waiting for it since he walked in," Mikey replied as a small blush graced his face.

"You are mistaken Michelangelo, you are not in trouble. However, we do need to talk about this," Splinter explained gently.

"I couldn't agree more," a voice echoed as footsteps could be heard coming towards them.

Splinter and team M&M turned towards the entrance. Smiling back as she walked towards them was non-other then Isla and Caspian.

"There is much we need to discuss," the mermaid said in a tone that made Splinter feel uneasy.

* * *

Sorry for yet another late update. I'm afraid I am extremely busy for the next little while but I will do my best to update ASAP. Thank you for the reviews, I love how much people love this.


	19. Chapter 19

Splinter was overjoyed to see the young mother and her son again. However, at the mention of needing to talk he quickly became concerned.

"I take it there is something much more concerning happening besides young love," Splinter said.

"Afraid so. Although, perhaps that is not a bad place to start," the mermaid replied.

Splinter sighed before he turned his attention back to the young couple.

…

Venus was coming back from taking a group of children for a walk when she noticed the crowd in front of the lab. She noticed they all looked annoyed but none of them looked quite as disturbed as Leonardo sitting by himself.

The blue masked turtle had caught her attention the moment Becca had introduced him as Mr. Turtle. She found herself enjoying his company and found that his presence made the terrifying experience of being stranded on a strange planet less frightening.

He wasn't like the other men in the village from her planet who felt like they had something to prove. This boy was strong and commanding but the same time he was kind and shy.

She wasn't sure why but seeing the turtle looking as if he carried the weight of the universe on his shell did not sit well with her. Venus was not usually so bold but she did not feel that she could stand by and do nothing either.

Determined to try and help, the turtle walked over and silently sat beside the lonely looking ninja.

"Hello again Mr. Turtle," Venus said gently pulling Leo from his thoughts.

He looked up at her with a shy smile before he chuckled and replied, "Hello Miss Turtle."

"I couldn't help noticing that you looked rather lonesome here by yourself. You look as though you could use a friend," Venus said.

Leo sighed before he replied, "It's just been a very long day…in fact we've had a lot of them."

"This war has been difficult just trying to survive. Never mind trying to keep others alive that depend on you so strongly," the girl said making Leo look at her in surprise.

She smiled at him before she added, "I've had a few long days myself."

Leo recalled seeing Venus constantly being followed by a hoard of children. She and Leatherhead did an incredible job making the children feel safe and happy.

"You're amazing," Leo said suddenly.

"You think I am amazing?" Venus asked as a blush started forming on her cheeks.

Leo's eye turned into saucers as he realized he had said that out loud and said, "Well…ya…I mean you're in the middle of a war, probably nowhere near your home, and your focus is making sure all the kids are okay. You put their wellbeing before your own survival and all the while those kids feel completely safe and happy because of you. That's pretty amazing."

Venus stared at Leo in disbelief as he spoke. Never at any point did she feel like she was doing anything spectacular. Everyone was working together to live and that particular job fell to her. She may have embraced it but she certainly didn't think herself amazing for it.

Leo didn't know what to make of the girl's lack of response. His uncertainty quickly turned to shock when the girl leaned in and kissed him on the cheek.

"I think you're pretty amazing to Mr. Turtle," she whispered in his ear.

The blue masked turtle tried to think of a charming reply, something sophisticated and flirty. However, the noise that came out of his mouth was neither human nor turtle.

Venus smiled at Leo before she stood up and said, "I must be off. I need rest before I return to the children."

Leo just nodded his head not trusting his mouth or his brain to work properly. He couldn't help the blush as Venus tilted his chin up so that his blue eyes met her grey ones.

"I hope that if you are in need of a friend once more that you will perhaps come find me," she said.

"'kay," was Leo's elegant reply before Venus turned and left the blue masked turtle to his thoughts.

Leo simply stared as she walked away as another person sat beside him and wrapped an arm around him.

"That was uh…that was pretty painful to watch Leo," Raph said.

Leo nodded his head silently. Normally he would be mortified at embarrassing himself like that. At the moment however he couldn't be bothered as thoughts of Venus and her kiss caused a big smile on his face

"Just so you know we still love you and Donnie already sent the video to everybody," Raph explained before he patted his brother on the back.

"Send me a copy to would ya?" Leo replied happily.

Raph gave his older brother a weird look as Splinter walked out of the lab with Isla and Caspian. Both Leo and Raph stood up and made their way over to them. Isla smiled at the pair while Caspian giggled as he waved with his chubby hand.

"It is good to see you pod brothers. It has been far too long," Isla greeted warmly.

"Couldn't agree more," Donny replied as he walked over to the mermaid along with his brothers and pulled her into a hug.

Dylan walked over to his pod sister before he asked _'Did you talk to Maya and Michelangelo about what must be done?_ '

Isla nodded her head before she replied _'They know. We gave them a moment to discuss it while we came to gather the others. The others will not like this.'_

 _'There is no choice'_ Dylan said sadly.

"Come, this reunion will have to wait. We have much to discuss," Splinter explained.

The three turtles and Miwa knew that tone well. They all quickly turned their attention to their father and followed him into the lab where their younger brother was. Casey and April went to follow after by were quickly stopped by Vixen. Splinter looked over at Vixen with a sad expression before she smiled and nodded her head at him silently telling him 'Go take care of your family Yoshi."

"What is this all about Father? Are Michelangelo and Maya alright?" Miwa asked as she walked at her father's side.

"They are both fine...a little overwhelmed by our discussion but fine," Splinter replied.

Leo, Raph, and Donny all looked up at their father with shocked expressions before Leo said, "Master Splinter, you talked to those two about..."

"Sex? Yes, I sat down with them and Isla and we discussed sex," Splinter replied calmly.

The three brothers couldn't believe what they heard. Their baby brother, who still to this day snuck into their rooms when he had night terrors, had been given 'the talk'. None of them liked the idea of their childish Mikey knowing about something so mature.

"Give your brother more credit my sons. Michaelangelo took our conversation very seriously and both he as well as Maya asked excellent questions," Splinter said to his children.

"We know sensei...it's just..." Leo said trying to find the right words.

"He is the youngest," the former human said giving words to his son's thoughts.

"All children must grow up sometime my sons...no matter how much you do not wish it so," he added with a sad smile.

"You haven't answered my question. What do we need to discuss?" Miwa asked trying not to sound impatient.

Splinter looked at his daughter before he replied, "Patience, Miwa. I promise, everything will be explained once we reach your brother and Maya."

When they got to the lab Mikey and Maya were sitting in front of each other. They appeared to be having a serious conversation before they arrived. They looked up when they heard the group coming towards them.

"Sup," Mikey greeted with one of his usual cheeky grins.

The turtles walked over before Raph rubbed Mikey's head affectionately and said, "You gave us a scare kid. You okay?"

"All good bro."

The turtles sat around team M&M as Miwa turned to Splinter, Isla, and Dylan before she demanded, "Alright, no more excuses. What the hell is going on?"

Splinter looked and at his children carefully before he explained, "As I am sure you all know, Maya has gained extremely powerfully abilities."

"Of course. That's why she was gone for so long. She has control over it now…doesn't she?" Donny replied.

The room became eerily quiet before Maya cleared her throat and explained, "This one has gained control of her abilities but not completely…this one cannot control her power alone."

At that moment Leo reached over and squeezed the girl's shoulder before he said, "You know we wouldn't let you deal with this alone right?"

Maya smiled at Leo gratefully before she replied, "This one never doubts that she has the love and support of this pod. However, it will take more then that to control these abilities."

"What do you mean…what am I missing here?" Donny asked concerned.

"Maya has the ability to control her actual power. However, her emotions keep her from possessing complete control over them. Which means there is still the possibility that she could lose control of them," Dylan explained.

"This is no fault of her own of course. She is young, her body and mind are still growing. However, if she cannot control them quickly, the results could be disastrous to both her and life as we know it," Isla added.

"So what do we do?" Miwa asked.

"Nothing other then keep her grounded and supported. However, there is something significant that Michelangelo can do," Isla replied.

Everyone looked over at the young couple wrapped in each other's arms looking nervous.

"How exactly is Mikey gonna fix this?" Raph asked irritated.

"The bond," Donny said suddenly before either of the merfolk could answer.

"What about it?" the red masked turtle demanded.

Isla sighed before she explained, "According to our understanding, a child of Neptune gains full control of their power so long as it flows not just through them but through their one. Children of Neptune in the past were always overwhelmed by their abilities because they had not yet had their one to support them with it."

"So, in order for Maya to have control over this she would need to transfer some of her power to Mikey. Making him basically her own personal back up hard drive," Donny said.

"Not quite so cold Donatello but you are correct. This would provide balance to them, both in control of the power as well as each other's emotions and pain," Dylan explained.

"I'm getting the feeling there is a 'but' in there somewhere," Leo mumbled.

The merman nodded his head before he said, "Your instincts are as strong as ever pod brother."

He then turned to the others and explained, "Usually when someone finds their one, they are connected mentally, emotionally, and physically but only to a certain extent...if Michelangelo and Maya complete this ritual they will be connected completely."

"So, everything one experiences, they both experience two-fold," Miwa said unsure.

"Exactly. The good, the bad, all of it...even death," Dylan confirmed.

Miwa, Leo, Raph, and Donny all tensed before Leo said in an icy voice, "Are you telling me that if one of them dies then they both die?"

"No Leo, it's worse than that I'm afraid. The survivor will not die but they will feel the death of their one completely. This one felt her bond break with her love but she does not live with the phantom pains of feeling his death," Isla said.

The room became deadly silent as Isla's words hung in the air. In order to protect Maya and the world, they would have to risk their baby brother. It was a taste that didn't sit right in their mouths but what choice did they have?

"Guys...can we say something?" Mikey said before he stood up and held Maya's hand helping her to her feet as well. The pair walked hand in hand and stood before everyone.

"The floor is yours my children," Splinter said quietly as he smiled proudly at the pair standing tall before their clan and pod.

"Fam we know you want to protect us from this but you can't this time. This is our bond and our decision about what we're going to do with it. We aren't asking your approval for this because it's gonna happen whether you like it or not...but we'd still really like your support," Mikey said standing tall with Maya at his side while at the same time looking at his siblings completely vulnerable.

For a moment, no one did anything. Then suddenly, to everyone's surprise, Donny was on his feet and walking towards team M&M before anyone could blink. He pulled the pair to his chest protectively before he whispered, "You never have to ask for our support, you'll always have it."

The others quickly got to their feet and joined them, surrounding team M&M in protective embrace of their clan and their pod.

* * *

So sorry for ghosting you guys. I'm in the middle of renovations, and Montessori training and dealing with the loss of my Nona. Updates will be more frequent promise. Don't forget to review!


	20. Chapter 20

The ritual, they were told had been performed flawlessly. It had been nothing like any of them had been expected. It was rather simple for a ceremony that had such a complex result. No one had said a word throughout the entire thing.

Everyone had knelt down in front of the pool while Mikey and Maya were in it. Isla had instructed that no one was to go in the water during the ceremony until the pair had emerged from it. Isla stood at the edge of the pool while the young couple floated in front of each other with their palms and foreheads touching. The only thing that indicated anything had happened at all was the dull light that glowed from their chests. In little under ten minutes, it was all over. The light died out before the couple opened their eyes and smiled at each other. The others couldn't help smiling with them as they completed the ritual. It was easy to see that the pair were ecstatic about being completely connected to each other.

"Did they just get married" Angel asked sitting beside her brother.

"Ya kid. Something like that," Casey replied.

The Hamato siblings took a moment to let the words sink in. Their baby brother had just permanently connected himself to another person, devoting himself to someone who was promising to return the same love and devotion as he was. In the middle of an intergalactic war surrounded by strangers and friends, team M&M had their version of getting married.

Alopex felt something squeezing her hand and looked down to see it was a green hand. She looked up to see Raph staring at the young couple in the pool.

"Raph…you guys crying?" Alopex asked when she noticed the glossy eyes of the turtles.

"I ain't crying!"

"Ninjas don't cry!

"I have allergies!"

Alopex had to bite her bottom lip to keep herself from laughing at the three brothers hissing at her accusation.

"I am most definitely crying and I don't care," Miwa said with a smirk as tears fell down her face.

"Dido," April added along with a weepy Irma who had their arms linked with Miwa. A large hand passed them a box of tissues before they looked up at its owner and smiled.

I always cry at weddings," Leatherhead said as he dabbed at his own eyes.

Splinter watched his children feeling bittersweet. He was proud to see the people his children were becoming. However, their childhood was ending far to quickly for his liking.

"Are you alright Yoshi?" Vixen asked as she squeezed his hand gently.

"It won't be long will it?" he asked his friend sadly.

Vixen looked at her own daughter as she giggled and teased Raphael before she replied, "They will still need us when they are grown Yoshi. They may out grow their fairy tales and their play clothes but they will never outgrow us, my friend."

Splinter squeezed her hand back before he nodded his head and whispered, "Thank you Emily."

"You are most welcome Yoshi," Alopex replied.

The former human moved his hand out of Vixen's grip before pulling her into a side hug and kissed the top of her head.

"At the very least we will always have each other," Yoshi whispered.

Vixen looked into Splinter's eyes and smiled. She knew she could never have Yoshi, her love for Tang Shen prevented her from pursuing it. That would not stop her however, from making sure he was never lonely again.

"Yes Yoshi, we at least have that," she replied as she relished his warm embrace.

…

"So that's it then? Mikey and Maya are now a hundred percent linked," Donny asked completely fascinated

"Yes. They should now be in complete control of the gift of Neptune," Isla explained.

The older Hamato siblings went into a tense silence. They were still a bit uncomfortable with the whole thing. They had barely gotten out of dangerous situations in the past by the skin of their teeth, having these two so dependent on each other made it that much more dangerous.

"Guys this is good news! The krang won't know what hit them. Maya and I will kick their sorry butts all the way back to Dimension X, " Mikey said trying to get his family out of their funk.

The youngest turtle felt on top of the world and stronger than ever. As far as he was concerned, the link was the best thing that ever happened to him. He was mermaid married to the girl of his dreams and now able to protect her from herself and anything else that tried to hurt her and their family.

"Not until you guys have had an adjustment period. I still want to do some mediation exercises with you to make sure you two are balanced," Leo replied.

"This one is in agreement. We have never seen a child of Neptune after a complete link. You will both have experiences that are very new. This one would like to train you for a time to see how you are both adapting to the abilities," Dylan explained.

Without looking at each other, both smiled and said, "Sounds fair."

"God that's creepy," Raph said.

…

After the family meeting, Raph decided to go get some air. He needed a break after the rollercoaster they had been on lately. He was still terrified about what the future held for his baby brother. What made it worse was that it was something none of them could protect him from.

The red masked turtle was pulled from his thoughts when he noticed Alopex sitting on the step to the pit. A small smile formed on his face as he watched the fox eating and observing the people around her. Without another thought he went over and sat beside the girl.

"Enjoying the show?" Raph asked.

The fox spared him an annoyed look before she turned back to the busy humans and mutants.

"I've never seen so many people before. Watching them is quite fascinating," Alopex replied.

"I don't get it. They're just people," Raph said as he watched the people bustling around his home.

"They've all had experiences that shaped them into the people they are now. Possess memories that are more precious then then any treasure. They all have stories that have lessons attached to them. I want to know them," Alopex explained.

"So, you're nosey," Raph teased earning himself a punch to the arm courtesy of Alopex.

"Mom always told me that our stories connect us. No matter how different we may appear," the fox said before turning her attention back to the people milling about.

"How's Mikey and Maya?" she asked without looking at him.

"So far they're okay. They're being babysat till further notice," Raph replied in an monotone voice.

Alopex turned to Raph and stared at him for a moment before she asked, "Are you okay?"

Raph says nothing and just shrugs his shoulders. He doesn't know how to answer the question. It's suddenly hitting him like a wave that Mikey and Maya may be the only ones that could defeat the krang and in the process it may destroy them.

"It's okay to be scared for them Raph."

The turtle looks up at the fox in surprise. Without him telling her, Alopex had put words to his feelings. The fox smiles at him before she said, "It's okay that you want to protect Mikey from all the bad stuff in the world and I know it's hard to watch him make a decision that puts him at risk. At the same though…it is his choice."

For a long time Raph is just quiet as Alopex's words hang in the air. He knows she's right but it doesn't change the sinking feeling he has in his gut.

"It still sucks," he finally replied in a whisper.

"That it does my friend. The good news is that no matter what happens, we'll be watching their backs," Alopex said.

"We?" Raph asked with a smirk.

Alopex put her hand on Raph's before she replied, "We."

'We' sounded really good to the red masked turtle. He had always been a part of a 'we' with his family and a part of a 'we' with his human friends as well, but this 'we' was different. Being around Alopex was peaceful to say the least, he could spend the rest of his life sitting on the stairs as long as he was sitting with her. He was lucky to have her as a friend.

"Your girlfriend is heading this way," Alopex commented with an amused grin.

Raph looked at her confused before he turned to see Mona Lisa walking past them. Suddenly Raph was filled to the brim with anxiety and excitement at the same time as the girl of his dreams smiled as she passed them.

"Hello Raphael, Alopex," Mona greeted.

The red masked turtle responded by breathing heavily and waving back making the lizard give him a strange look.

"Is this an Earth greeting I don't know about?" Mona asked curiously.

"He just ate something spicy...he'll be fine," Alopex explained.

Mona nodded in understanding before he continued on with her business leaving Alopex and Raphael alone once more.

"Nice talking to ya Mona," Raph finally said in a squeaky voice.

"I don't think she heard you," the fox commented in a soft voice.

"Gee ya think!" Raph yelped.

Alopex calmly put her hand on his shoulder before she said, "That was painful to watch but we still love you."

Raph sighed as his anxiety quickly turned into embarrassment.

...

Miwa watched from a distance and shook her head at her brothers. Watching them make complete asses of themselves in the name of love was entertaining to say the least. Of the four of them it was only Mikey it seemed that had a natural gift for talking to the opposite sex. This fact both amused and saddened her to think about. How much could they have possibly interacted with other people living down here in the sewers?

Although she wished dearly that she had been raised by Splinter with her brothers, it made her appreciate the opportunities she had that the boys didn't. Opportunities to go to school, meet new people without fear, even fall in love...even if it did end tragically.

The teen found herself once more looking down at her phone. She had tried to text after Shredder brought her to New York but it was no use. Miwa had done something unforgivable and she feared that she would never be forgiven for it no matter how many times she typed those words.

'I'm sorry.'

"Expecting a call?"

Miwa looked up to see Leo watching her with an unreadable expression on his face. She looked back at him in surprise and mentally scolded herself for allowing him to catch her off guard.

"No. I'm just clinging onto a foolish fantasy," Miwa replied looking defeated which greatly bothere the blue masked turtle.

"It isn't foolish to hope for something Miwa. Without hope, we would have never gotten you back," Leo explained.

Miwa smiled at her optimistic little brother before she said, "A little advice Leo. If you have a chance to find happiness, fuck the risks and just go for it. You understand?"

Leo stared at his older sister in shock before simply nodding his head. Miwa nodded her head as she clenched her phone before disappearing into the crowd of people. The blue masked turtle watched her go before his gaze landed on a certain turtle who was returning from a long day of taking care of children. She looked exhausted but at the same time smiled brightly to anyone who greeted her. Leo smiled as he thought about how amazing she was. He wanted so much to have a reason to just talk to her but couldn't seem to gather the courage to just do it.

'Fuck the risks.'

Leo took a deep breath before he walked over to the other girl and called her name to get her attention. To his delight, her face lit up the moment she noticed who was calling out to her.

"Leonardo, what a lovely surprise. What can I do for you?" Venus said genuinely happy to see the other turtle.

"I was just in the uh...you know area, well of course I was I live here hahaha...anyway umm if uh, you're not uhh-"

"It has been an extremely eventful day. I don't know about you but I am drained," Venus said interrupting Leo's ramble.

Leo felt his stomach sink at the other turtle's words with defeat. He was about to excuse himself when Venus added, "I was just about to get myself a cup of tea. Would you care to join me Mr. Turtle? I understand you are an excellent tea companion.

The blue masked turtle smiled brightly before he offered her his arm and said, "It would be my pleasure Miss. Turtle."

...

Shredder sat in his throne room deep in thought. He was pulled from those thoughts when a screen appeared in front of him revealing the leader of the krang.

"That which is known as Shredder, the krang have felt a change occur," krang prime declared without greeting.

"I too have felt it. Something has happened and my instinct tells me it is a threat," Shredder replied.

"Agreed. Shredder and the krang need to send forces to discover what this change is and destroy it before it destroys us all," Krang prime stated.

* * *

That's all for now folks don't forget to leave a review. Thanks to everyone who is following the story and sticking with me between these late updates :)


	21. Chapter 21

Things had been tense since team M&M had bonded. Shredder and the krang had doubled their efforts to find them making it impossible to even go up to search for basic necessities. Thankfully supplies were full, but how long would they really last?

Donnie and Irma were working over time on the retro mutagen. Leo, Raph, Alopex, April and the rest of the alpha team were trying to figure out where they could go to make a supply run while Splinter and Miwa were doing their best to keep both the humans and the mutants calm.

That left Mikey and Maya to try and figure out a plan to take down the krag using their own environment. The couple had asked Vixen for her input on what she could remember. They can been working on it for several hours in the dojo, going through maps of the city to find a way to use the element of surprise.

"It's not just the krang we gotta worry about. The angry tin can is looking to make a turtle soup out of us to," Mikey said.

"You leave him to me. He and I have some unfinished business to discuss," Vixen replied in a cold voice that made team M&M shiver.

"You're a wicked ninja but even Splinter couldn't defeat him. What makes you think you gotta better chance?" the orange masked turtle asked.

Vixen just looked back at him and said, "Oroko Saki never knew what became of me after the battle. He will underestimate me and it will be his downfall."

Mikey stared at the deadly expression on the fox's face awkwardly before he gave her a thumbs up and said, "Sounds good to me."

"Beloved," Maya called over from where she was looking over some research.

"What's up sweet scales," Mikey called back as he walked over to her.

The mermaid smiled at her one before she replied, "This one may have an idea to kill two prey with one spear."

"Those sound like fightin' words. You know what happens when I hear you use fightin' words," Mikey saud wrapping his arms around his mate's waist.

"Mortal combat?" Maya asked in a cheeky tone.

"Yes!" the orange masked turtle cried.

"No," Vixen said making team M&M look at her sadly.

"Plan now, succumb to your hormones later," Vixen said trying not to laugh at the kicked puppy expressions the pair was giving her.

"Maya what's your plan?" she asked the mermiad getting them all back on track.

…

Casey plopped down on the ground outside the lair after the meeting. The alpha team had decided that the best course of action was to send a small team to travel to the edge of the city to search for supplies. He tried to volunteer to go but his father refused to let it happen. He kept talking about how he was needed here and that this could take several weeks. In the end a small group of humans and mutants were chosen to take on the supply run.

Needless to say, the teen was frustrated with the decision. He knew that he could make that mission successful but it was like he was deliberately being held back. In an attempt to keep his temper in check, the teen remained silent for the rest of the meeting and was the first to leave.

The teen leaned his head back against the wall with his eyes closed and ran his fingers through his hair as he tried to understand his dad's logic. The sounds of footsteps caught the teen's attention before he felt a warm body sit beside him.

"Not like you to chase after a guy," Casey said already knowing who was sitting beside him.

"You seemed upset. Thought you could use some company," April replied.

Casey sighed before he replied, "I'm just tired of doing nothing. This is the first time that there is a chance to do something useful and I'm being benched."

April squeezed the boy's hand before she said, "We need you here Casey. The fight is close, I can feel it…and I can't imagine us fighting that battle without you."

The teen gave her a curious look before he asked, "You just admit you need me?"

"Maybe," she replied with a blush.

This in turn caught the vigilante off guard. He had made the comment to tease the other girl a little not coax her into a confession.

"April, that shit ain't funny. Casey Jones don't wanna hear that if you aren't serious," the teen replied tensely.

The boy had dealt with to many people in the past lying through their teeth about caring about him. He couldn't take it if April was just messing with him when it came to this.

"What if I am being serious?" the girl asked nervously not realizing she was squeezing his hand a little tighter.

Casey looked down at April's hand before looking back up at her. The look on her face told him everything he needed to know.

"Well if you are then I might have to do this," the teen said before leaning forward and caught the girl's lips in a kiss.

It was only a second but it was sweet. Casey quickly pulled away to see the surprised look on the girl's face. He didn't know what to make of her lack of reaction. The teen was about to apologize before April surprised him by grabbing him by the collar of his t-shirt and pulling him into a deeper kiss.

As the pair became more passionate, they were completely unaware that they had attracted an audience. Donnie felt the tears coming and turned away. He leaned against the entrance way and put his hand over his mouth to muffle the pain filled sobs that were escaping him. He had left the lab to grab something out of his room when he saw April leaving the lair. He was curious about where she was going but now quickly regretted his decision to follow her.

The purple masked turtle decided he couldn't stay there a moment longer. Silently as the ninja he was trained to be, Donny slipped away from his two friends. He wasn't watching where he was going when he slammed into someone's chest.

"Donatello…are you alright?" the voice asked with the voice of a concerned mother.

The purple masked turtle looked up to see it was Vixen looking at him with worried eyes. Without a word the turtle burst into tears as he wrapped his arms around the fox's middle. The fox quickly wrapped her arms and tail around the teen and held him tight as he silently sobbed his heart out.

She noticed a few people staring and glared at them before leading her charge into Splinter's room which was currently empty. The fox had stepped out to give Mikey and Maya a chance to tweak their plan. She was going to find her daughter but she quickly assessed that this child needed her more.

She quickly shut the door behind her before guiding Donny over to Splinter's bed and sat him down. The fox then grabbed a blanket and draped it over the thin turtle before sitting down beside him.

"What has got you so upset?" she asked.

Donny could hear the worry in her voice and started to feel really stupid about what just happened. He basically threw a temper tantrum over the girl he knew he'd never have kissing the guy he knew she would eventually choose.

"I'm sorry. It's not really anything important," the purple masked turtle replied quietly.

Vixen stared silently at the boy as she watched his body language. Emily was born with a gift for reading people, she could have easily been mistaken for an empath or a psychic with her abilities. It was how she knew that she would never have Yoshi's heart. The boy sitting beside her very much reminded her of another girl who lost her first love to her best friend.

"Is it safe to say April and Casey finally stopped tip toeing around each other?" Vixen asked.

Donatello looked up at Vixen with a shocked, tear stained face before he asked, "How did you-"

"It is no secret that April had your heart as well as Casey's. To see you this distressed while your family is in good health tells me that you lost the battle to gain her heart in return," the fox explained.

The teen was silent for a moment before his body began to shake and he nodded his head before he replied, "I followed her out to see what she was doing…I watched them kiss."

The fox quickly grabbed the boy and hugged him to her chest. In that moment she was no longer Vixen, the fierce warrior and mother. Instead, she was Emily again, vulnerable and understanding as she recalled what happened all those years ago.

"There is no shame in grieving your first love," she said gently.

"How did you do it?" Donny asked quietly.

"Do what?" Vixen replied.

"How did you make it stop hurting when father got together with Tang Shen?" the tech savvy turtle asked desperately.

Emily was quiet for a moment as she considered her answer. She recalled the pain of heart break and the feeling of utter loss.

"I suppose it didn't feel like losing when I knew their love was true. I still loved them both and they still loved me. Our friendship was my greatest treasure and I refused to allow something as mundane as jealousy take that from me," Emily explained.

"You're strong. I wish I could have that strength," Donny said sounding defeated.

Vixen gave the teen a thoughtful look before she said, "Tell me something, child. Does your heart now feel hatred to April, the girl that broke your heart?"

Donny looked up at her surprised before he replied, "Of course not. She was our first human friend and has been our rock since day one. I couldn't imagine my life without her in it."

"What of Casey Jones then? Surely you must hate him for stealing April from you. He couldn't possibly care for her the way that you can," Vixen said calmly.

The purple masked turtle looked at the fox like she grew a second head before he argued, "Casey might be kind of a psycho but he's _our_ psycho. He's as close as a brother to us, I'm not just going to throw that away because April chose him."

"Why are you trying to convince me to hate people I care about?" Donnie demanded.

"To prove a point. You Donatello, are very much stronger then you give yourself credit for," Vixen explained.

Donnie stared at the ground with wet eyes and a sad smile before he whispered, "I'm just being logical. I lost to a good guy who I know will treat April the way she deserves to be treated. Even though it hurts like a bitch and it feels as though they betrayed me…I still can't bring myself to hate them."

Vixen grabbed the turtle's chin and lifted his head so that they were eye to eye before she explained, "That is the sign of just how big a heart you have, child. Someday you will find someone in your life that will fight to death to protect that heart if you find yourself willing to trust them with it."

"Did your love for Patrick feel as passionate as it did for father's?" Donnie asked.

"No," Vixen replied simply.

"Patrick was quite different. In his eyes I was this treasure that he had the pleasure to discover. I was his everything…and he was mine," Vixen explained as she recalled her husband and how much she loved him.

"Wow," Donnie said.

In his young scientific mind he was fascinated by the idea of two people being that in love. He wanted that for himself so badly…but who would wanna have that with something like him?

"Irma," Vixen said suddenly catching the boy off guard.

"What?" Donnie asked.

"I heard her voice just now. I think she's looking for you," Vixen explained.

Donnie 'eyes widened when he realized he had left Irma in the lab. He was supposed to be back a while ago.

"Oh crap. I hope she wasn't waiting long," Donnie said as he shot off the bed and headed to the door.

Before he left, he turned back to Vixen and just for a moment Donnie thought he saw Emily in those piercing green eyes.

"Emily…thank you," Donnie said before he left to find his lab partner.

The fox sat in shock as her true name was spoken on the turtle's lips. She never thought she would hear it from anyone other then Yoshi again.

"Emily," a voice said.

Her heart stopped when she saw Yoshi in the doorway looking at her as if it were for the first time. She realized quickly that he had heard their conversation.

"I had no idea," he said as stood there staring at her in shock.

"We can discuss this another time Yoshi. I am afraid this isn't the time to speak of the past," Emily said quickly before she stood up and left to resume her original plan to find her daughter.

…

Team M&M walked out of the dojo looking quite pleased with themselves as if they had just planned the greatest masterpiece of all pranks. The moment they appeared in front of everyone they had the undivided attention of everyone present.

"Oh no what are you two up to?" Raph asked as he recognized the expression on their faces.

"Good news we have a plan," Maya announced.

"Why do I get the feeling there is bad news attached to this?" Leo asked.

"Cause you're not gonna like it," Mikey answered.

Leo and Raph looked at each other before looking back at the pair skeptically.

"You'll have to trust us and let us take the lead on this. First we gotta get the others, this is gonna be all hands on deck," the orange masked turtle explained.

* * *

That's all for now don't forget to leave a review to let me know what you think


	22. Chapter 22

Splinter continued to stare at the door after Vixen left in shock. All these years and he had no idea that one of his dearest friends felt that strongly. As much as he wanted to talk to her about this, she was right. This conversation would have to take place another time after this nightmare was over.

He gazed over at the photo of his wife sadly when a thought came to him.

"This is why you wanted me to come back so desperately. You knew," he said out loud.

Tang Shen's smile in the photograph looked quite michevious in that moment. Yoshi shook his head at his wife who was playing matchmaker from beyond the grave.

"Father? Are you alright?" a voice asked pulling him from his thoughts.

"I am fine Miwa. Is something wrong?" he replied.

"Mikey and Maya have a plan…the guys are losing their minds over it," the girl explained.

Splinter sighed before he gestured for Miwa to lead the way.

…

"You two can't be serious. This is a terrible plan," Donnie said to the pair.

"We know dimension X better then anybody. We can get in and take the krang down from the inside while another team goes after the Shredder and the foot," Maya explained.

"I don't like this," Raph commented trying his best to stay calm.

"What is going on?" Splinter demanded as he walked into the room.

"Team M&M want to go on a suicide mission," Leo replied.

Mikey rolled his eyes at his dramatic older brother before turning his attention to his father.

"The pod sent spies to watch the krang. They told us this morning that the krang are building a missile that's gonna turn everybody into jellyfish zombies. There will be nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. We have a chance to be able to stop them," Mikey explained.

"Why are you only telling us this now?" Splinter asked in shock.

"Thought be a safer bet to make a plan before we dropped the bomb on you guys…no pun intended," Mikey replied.

"They have thought this out well Yoshi. Hear them out," a voice said and Yoshi turned to see Emily behind him.

"You expect me to support sending my youngest son into enemy territory alone?" Yoshi hissed.

"He is not alone nor are they defenseless. In fact, they are stronger together then you could possibly imagine," the fox explained calmly.

The Hamato family was completely silent as they let the words sunk in before Miwa spoke up.

"Maya's power. They're going to use it against the Krang," she explained.

"There's no water in Dimension X. How exactly do you plan on taking them on?" Donnie asked.

"C'mon D, you're smarter then that?" Mikey said smiling at his brother.

The purple masked turtle looked at his baby brother and Maya with a confused expression.

"Tell this one pod brother, what makes up 90% of the krang's anatomy?" Maya asked.

"Oh my god," Leo said as it dawned on him what they were planning.

"That's…not possible even for merfolk," Donnie commented in shock

"Care to enlighten the rest of us?" Raph said not liking that he was being left out of this realization.

Before anyone could speak, the red masked turtle could feel the sweat that coated his body from working out float off his body which left him comfortably dry. They all watched in amazement as the tiny droplets grew into a massive ball. The discolouration of the liquid disappeared, leaving it crystal clear as Maya purified it.

Everyone's jaws hit the floor before Mikey said, "For our next trick…"

Mikey closed his eyes before tiny droplets of water appeared out of thin air. As they did the air in the sewer felt less damp then it usually did.

"Mikey…What did you just do?" Leo asked as he stared at the pair in amazement.

"In simple terms…Mikey just took the moisture out of the air," Donny explained.

"How is being a teenage mutant ninja humidifier going to help them in Dimension X?" Raph asked.

"Do you not remember how damp the air was there? I'm pretty sure a large portion of what they breath is water. How did I not think of that?" the purple masked turtle explained.

"Do not be so hard on yourself. You have been…distracted," Maya commented before giving Donnie a sympathetic smile.

The purple masked turtle smiled back her, grateful that she didn't say it out loud. No one thought anything of the turtle's demeanor assuming it was from the stress of making the retro mutagen.

'We can talk later if you wish' Maya said to him discreetly through a link.

The purple masked turtle nodded his head before returning to the conversation at hand.

"The plan is simple. We go in and remove the mutagen from the missile and replace it with retro mutagen. Then we get the jalapeño out of dodge before they notice us," the orange masked turtle explained.

"It would prevent Shredder from seeking help from the krang. United they're strong but divided they fall. I'm with team M&M on this one," Miwa added.

Splinter couldn't deny that the plan was strong. However, he still couldn't wrap his head around the fact that he would be sending his youngest on a solo mission that he may not return home from.

"I will consider your plan," Splinter finally said.

"But-"

"Do not argue with me Michelangelo. I will consider it. End of discussion," the former human said in a tone that he rarely used with any of his children before he turned and walked out of the room.

Both Mikey and Maya looked completely defeated and frustrated in that moment. They had the solution to getting their lives back to normal but were being denied the opportunity to at least try.

Vixen walked over to the pair and gave them both a sympathetic smile before she said, "Give him time."

The fox looked over at the other children and gave them a sad smile before she left to give them some space. Team M&M watched her leave before the orange masked turtle turned to his brothers looking defeated. Never in their lives did Leo, Raph, and Donnie have their little brother look at them with disappointment.

"I thought we were supposed to have each other's back," Mikey mumbled.

"We're not supporting you going and getting yourselves killed," Leo replied bluntly.

"We can do this and you know it!" the youngest fired back.

It had been a long time since any of them had seen an angry Mikey. It wasn't a side of their little brother that they enjoyed to say the least.

"I know I'm supposed to be the dumb ass little brother that can't be serious for five minutes but guess what? I'M A GOD DAMN NINJA IN THIS CLAN TOO!" he shouted getting more furious by the minute.

"We have a plan, a plan that we can actually pull off. If it was any of you with the super powers going in there, nobody would say boo about you three going in. The minute the goof has the ability to save us from the jello monsters, it's all panic at the disco. Well fuck you!" Mikey yelled.

All four of the Hamato siblings stared at the youngest in shock. It was clear to see that this explosion went beyond Mikey having a temper tantrum about them not choosing his plan. This had clearly been building for some time.

"Beloved," Maya said gently to her mate as she rested her hand on his shoulder.

Mikey turned to her silently before she said, "Let us take a walk."

The orange masked turtle nodded his head before turning back to his family and said, "You guys are always going on about how we're a team and we need to trust each other…I just thought maybe for once you guys would trust me."

Maya quickly led her mate out of the dojo leaving behind the remaining siblings.

…

The remaining siblings stood in shock long after their youngest had disappeared. Miwa gave her three brothers each a look before she broke the silence.

"You cannot coddle him like this. Michelangelo is not something delicate that requires protection," Miwa scolded them.

"How are you okay with this plan of theirs? They'll get themselves killed!" Leo yelled at his sister.

"Do you seriously have such little faith in their abilities? Do you honestly not trust them to do what needs to be done?" Miwa replied in a tone that very much reminded them of Splinter.

The three turtles said nothing but it was clear that they were considering her words. Miwa could understand their confliction. Michelangelo was the youngest, the most innocent. For years they had made it their personal mission to keep him safe. Now they were being asked to end that mission and allow their youngest to fight for them.

"We need to convince father to reconsider the plan. It's the best chance we have," Miwa said sternly.

"I still really hate this plan," Leo said rubbing his head.

"So do I," Miwa admitted giving her brother an understanding look.

Leo looked back at her and saw the fear for their baby brother in her eyes. She was just as terrified for team M&M as they were. Despite her fear she was still supporting them, still fighting for their idea because she trusted in their abilities to help them win and come back home.

"Alright…I'm in," Leo said sounding unsure.

"Seriously?" Raph replied.

"They're stronger now Raph. They can do something to stop this that we can't. We have no other plan," Donnie said.

"We'll think of another plan. I ain't sacrificing them," Raph growled.

"It's not a sacrifice. It's our little brother doing what we've been raised to do and taking down a threat…they're going to do what they have to do and then come home," Leo replied .

"What are we supposed to do if they don't come back?" Raph asked.

Leo fixed his immediate younger brother with a cold stare before he replied, "Then we go in to finish what they started and bring them home ourselves."

Raph clenched his fists as he thought about whether or not to agree to this insane plan. Then he thought about Mikey. He thought about how when they needed him most, the knucklehead could be just as powerful and skilled a ninja as his family, if not more so. He knew in every fiber of his being that Mikey could do this…but it didn't make him any less terrified for his baby brother.

"Fine. We do their plan," Raph said reluctantly.

Now that the siblings were in agreement, they had the impossible task of convincing their father. As they made their way out of the dojo, they were met by Casey Jones coming towards them. The black haired teen b-lined it straight over towards Donatello giving the other siblings pause.

"Hey Donnie, Can we go to your lab? I gotta talk to you about something," the teen said.

"Finally gonna get Donnie to do somethin' about your back zits?" Raph teased earning a glare from the other boy.

"We don't have anything to talk about Jones," Donnie said quietly.

"Please, it's important. I want you to hear it from me first dude," Casey explained.

"Why, so you can brag? Well I already know so don't bother," Donnie hissed at the other boy.

"How? It just-"

"I saw," the purple masked turtle growled.

Casey's face went beet red as it morphed into a look of horror. The teen was soon filled with guilt when he saw the pain in the turtle's eyes.

At this point the others were staring at the pair in confusion. As much as they wanted to know what the hell was going on, they didn't think they should interrupt this conversation.

"I'm sorry D. I swear I wasn't coming to brag I just-"

"Just drop it," Donnie said before walking off.

Casey stared at the ground as he clenched his fists looking totally lost. Raph cautiously walked over to him before putting a hand on his shoulder.

"What was that about?" he asked.

Without looking up Casey simply replied, "I didn't know he was there…it just happened."

"What happened?" Raph asked trying to not over react.

The onyx haired teen looked up at his best friend looking devastated before he replied, "We were outside the lair and April told me she liked me…like more then a friend…and then I kissed her."

"Oh no," Leo said from a few feet away knowing where this was going.

"She kissed me back and we were kinda in the moment. I swear to god guys, I didn't know he followed us. After April and I talked about whatever the hell is happening with us, I came to talk to Donnie…I was just trying to do the right thing havin' him hear it from me ya know. I wasn't gonna brag," Casey rambled on.

The teen would have kept going if Raph didn't cover his mouth with his hand to shut him up. Casey gave his friend an annoyed look.

"Shut up and listen for a minute. We know you wouldn't brag. We know you were trying to do the right thing so calm down. That being said your timing really sucks and we really can't deal with this right now," Raph explained.

Casey pulled his friend's hand away from his face before he asked, "What's going on?"

"We can explain on the way. We need to deal with the plan first, then worry about the shit storm you and April started," Miwa said before she started walking away without even waiting for her brothers.

Leo could see this was eating Casey's insides to shreds. He walked over to the teen and said, "We'll fix this. You didn't do anything wrong and were not mad at you. Do you understand?"

Casey silently nodded his head not looking terribly convinced.

"For what it's worth…we're happy for you guys," Leo added earning a smile from the other boy.

"Most of us anyway, now let's go before Miwa skins us alive," Raph said before the three ran to catch up with the girl.

…

Vixen sighed and shook her head at Yoshi's stubborn display in the dojo. On one hand she understood that he had already experienced losing a child and that it was an experience he didn't care to repeat. On the other, he needed to learn to trust them to make decisions for themselves.

'Speaking of children' The fox thought to herself as she noticed her daughter.

Alopex was sitting with April, Irma, and two other girls. The one was a turtle that had taken a liking to Leonardo, while the other appeared to be a salamander. Vixen realized something was wrong when she noticed her daughter sitting with her arms wrapped around her middle and her tail swishing anxiously.

Vixen quickly made her way over to her child and knelt down in front of her before she asked, "What's happened? Are you alright?"

Alopex cautiously looked at her mother before she replied, "Please don't be mad…I found dad."

The older fox stared at her daughter in shock. She knew Alopex had been curious about her father but she had no idea it went this far.

"Have you spoken to him? Did you tell him who you were?" Vixen asked.

"She has and she did."

Vixen didn't need to look at the person to know whose voice that was. For years it was the first thing she heard in the morning and the last she heard as she drifted off to sleep. Hesitantly, she turned around to see the man she had let go of all those years ago.

"Patrick," she said sadly.

"Hello Emily," the man replied giving the former human a sad smile.

* * *

Sorry this took so long, I had some serious writer's block. Merry Christmas readers and a happy New Year.


	23. Chapter 23

"We cannot walk around the sewers forever beloved," Maya tells her mate as they wander aimlessly through the tunnels.

"Not ready to talk to them yet. Still pissed," Mikey replied.

The mermaid sighs before she puts a hand on the turtle's chest to get him to stop walking. When he doesn't look at her, Maya moves the hand on his chest to his face and moves it so that they are eye to eye.

"This one understands your frustration beloved. However, nothing can be solved by us running away from the problem. If you desire to show the pod that we are capable then we must go back and stand firm on our decision," Maya explained.

The orange masked turtle gazed at his mate as he considered her words. Mikey suddenly started to feel embarrassed as he thought about his behaviour earlier. He must have looked like a child having a temper tantrum. He was just so tired of being coddled simply because he wasn't as strong a ninja as his brothers and sister. Maya was right, if he wanted them to see him as more than just the immature little brother then he would need to make a change.

Mikey smiled at his mate before gently grabbing the tiny hand on his cheek and placing a tender kiss in the palm. Maya smiled back at the display of affection before the turtle leaned in and placed another kiss on the mermaid's head.

"I hate it when you're right," Mikey said making his mate giggle.

"Apologies for making you see reason beloved," Maya replied as she wrapped her arms around Mikey's neck.

The turtle immediately returned the embrace and nuzzled his face into Maya's neck. The pair had no idea how long they stayed like that but neither one was terribly eager to break their physical connection. It was Mikey that finally sighed in defeat before he pulled away from his mate, looking more determined than he did a moment ago.

"Let's go home," the turtle said before he grabbed his mate's hand and began walking back through the sewers towards the lair.

…

Splinter paced back and forth in his room, desperate to find some relief from the confliction that battled within his spirit. Desperately, he tried to think of something, anything, that would make a better plan then sending his youngest child off to fight alone.

"He is not alone nor are they defenseless. In fact, they are stronger together then you could possibly imagine."

Vixen's words broke through his thoughts. He did not want to believe those words, to scared for his child to see the truth in them. However, as much as he wanted to deny that there was another way, there simply wasn't. Sending Michelangelo into Dimension X with Maya on their own was the only way to save them all from the invasion that had plagued their city and get back to trying to live peacefully with his family.

A knock on the door brought him out of his thoughts before he called out to whoever was there that they may enter. He was not surprised to see that it was his sons and daughter who had come to see him.

"Sensei, we need to talk to you," Leonardo said as they walked into his room.

"If this in regards to my decision regarding your brother, I have not made one yet. I have already heard your concerns on the matter," Splinter replied.

"We need to go through with the plan," Miwa suddenly spoke up.

Splinter was caught off guard by his daughter's words. Not even half an hour ago, his sons had been more then clear on their opinion of their youngest brother's plan.

"Your views were quite different while we were speaking with Michelangelo and Maya. What has made you change your minds?" he asked them.

"If we had to be honest, we simply don't have another choice. Sending team M&M to Dimension X is the best chance we have to win this war," Leo admitted.

"I hate to say it but Mikey was right. They are both strong and together they are a force to be reckoned with. They deserve to have the chance to try," Donnie added.

Splinter nodded to his children before turning to Raphael who had been quiet since they had come to him. He could feel the mixed emotions coming from his son's spirit. Silently he walked over to the red masked turtle.

"What about you Raphael?" Splinter asked.

The red masked turtle reluctantly looked at his father before he replied, "I hate this plan. It scares the hell out of me. As much as I hate it though I know that if anybody can pull this stupid stunt off it's those two lunatics...send in the clowns, sensei."

Splinter smiled at his son before giving his shoulder a squeeze. He turned to face the rest of his children before he said, "Very well. If this is the only plan we have, then so be it. Gather as many as you can who are willing to fight and find your brother. We have much to discuss."

Without another word Miwa and the turtles left their father's room leaving him once again alone with his thoughts. Splinter sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose allowing himself a moment of weakness to worry for his child. After this, there could be no doubt or regret, Michelangelo and Maya would need them to stand tall with them as their clan.

Splinter suddenly felt the walls of his room constricting. His spirit ached from loneliness as it sometimes did when he had to make these kinds of decisions alone for his family. In that moment what the former human needed more than anything was a friend. Without another thought he stood tall and left the room to go find the one person he knew would support him and the decision he made.

…

"Patrick," Emily said staring at her ex-husband in complete shock.

"It's been a long time," the man replied giving the fox a smile.

She stared at the man in front of her as if she had seen a ghost. Her thoughts were running a mile a minute but her mouth couldn't seem to put them into proper sentences.

"Breathe Emily," Patrick said after a few minutes.

It wasn't until then that Vixen had noticed she had been holding her breath. As she stared at her ex-husband, feelings of guilt consumed her. It may have been unintentional but she still kept Alopex from him. Something that they had always wanted but never thought they could have.

"I'm so sorry. You are long overdue owed an explanation," Emily said.

"You have nothing to be sorry for or to explain. From what I've been told you've been fighting this battle longer then any of us," the man replied as he stepped forward and gently wrapped his hands around hers.

"Emily?"

Both Vixen and Patrick looked over to see a confused looking Splinter looking at the pair. He looked at them both before his gaze wandered down to the man's hands holding hers and his expression went cold.

"Yoshi," Emily said as she pulled her hands from Patrick's.

"Forgive me I did not notice you," she quickly said.

"You appeared distracted," Yoshi replied with a stoic expression.

"Shocked would be the better word. Allow me to introduce you to Patrick," Emily replied.

Suddenly, the former human's eyes looked as if they were going to bulge out of his head. He was clearly caught off guard.

"Patrick, this is Yoshi Hamato. My dear friend from Japan," Emily said to the other man who looked rather surprised himself.

"Yoshi? I thought he and his wife were killed," Patrick replied.

"That is a rather long story I'm afraid," the fox explained.

"I have a feeling we will both have those," he said.

Emily smiled at Patrick in a way that woke a very ugly emotion inside of Splinter. He wanted nothing more then to get this human as far away from Emily and her daughter as he could.

'You are being foolish Yoshi. This man is not your enemy' Splinter scolded himself.

"Yoshi," Emily said suddenly bringing the former human from his thoughts.

Splinter looked to Vixen to see that her sweet expression had suddenly turned all business.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

"Yes, forgive me. My mind is elsewhere," he replied.

"I was asking if there was something you needed us for," she explained.

Splinter nodded his head before he said, "I have decided to go along with Michelangelo's plan."

Vixen nodded her head approvingly before she replied, "I knew you would see reason."

"We need to gather everyone who is willing and able bodied to make it possible to be successful. The children are already finding people as we speak," Splinter explained.

"I am with you old friend," Emily said reaching out to squeeze Yoshi's hand.

"Of that I had no doubt," he replied squeezing her hand back.

"I'm not much of a fighter but if it's able bodied and willing you're looking for. Count me in," Patrick suddenly spoke up.

Both Vixen and Splinter gave the man a surprised look. Neither one certain if accepting the man's help was a good idea.

"I know I don't have the skill either of you have but this is my home too," he explained.

"Patrick-"

"Very well," Splinter said before Vixen could finish her sentence.

Emily gave Splinter an intense look before he added, "We have little time and we will need all the help we can get."

…

The siblings split up into teams to gather fighters and find team M&M. Donnie was quick to volunteer finding their wayward baby brother which no one argued. Irma was just as quick to offer to go with him into the sewers.

The tech savvy turtle was grateful. He just didn't think he could have dealt with being paired to a sibling trying to get him to talk about it…or worse, being paired with one of the love birds.

The pair walked in silence through the sewers. The pair were used to being quiet around each other, it was nothing new for them. When they were focused on something, they simply enjoyed the presence of one another. This felt different, Donnie wanted to talk, needed to talk to somebody. For some reason his voice was simply refusing to work.

"So umm…I'm sorry. I heard about what happened with April and Casey," Irma said suddenly.

The purple masked turtle looked at her in complete shock. His scientific mind desperately tried to figure out how she knew what was bothering him.

"How did you-"

Irma smiled at his expression before she added, "News travels fast and you look like hell."

"Right," replied wondering if he was to hasty in wanting to end the silence.

"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to just sorry that happened. It's a shitty feeling," Irma said quickly.

"You've gone through this?" Donnie asked.

Somehow, he found that incredibly hard to believe. Irma was a pretty girl and smart. She was passionate and level headed. Plus she wasn't a giant mutant animal, she definitely had that going for her.

Irma laughed at the question before she replied, "More then I'd like to admit. Got my first kiss when I was twelve by my crush…who was bet $5.00 to do it from his buddies. Said it was the grossest kiss he ever had. That was only the beginning."

The girl looked at the heart broken expression on the turtle's face before she said, "Don't look at me like that, Donatello Hamato. Boys are dumb and it is not a tragedy to be single. I got better things to do then waste my time chasing fairy tales. If someone wants me, then they can come find me."

Donnie thought about her words for a moment before a smile broke out onto his face. He was inspired by her words. In the face of heart break she decided to smarten up rather break her heart over and over chasing Mr. Right. He could certainly do that to and become stronger for it.

'There's just one problem' Donnie thought as he rubbed his hand over his aching heart.

A smaller hand covered his large green one before he looked at Irma. The girl smiled at him gently as she gave the hand a squeeze.

"It's going to hurt, it just happened and these things take time. Just remember that they didn't do this on purpose to hurt you. Casey wouldn't have wanted you to hear it from him first if you weren't important to him…I hate to admit it but he has his redeeming characteristics" she explained.

Despite his heartbreak, Donnie managed to smile at the girl before he quietly said, "Thank you."

"Anytime green bean," she replied as she grabbed his hand.

"Now let's go find ourselves a couple weirdos," the girl added. Giving him a wink.

Just as they were about to start walking, a noise made them both turn down the dark path ahead if them. Despite being startled, Donnie quickly pushed Irma behind him before pulling out his boa. The sound of footsteps coming towards them had the pair anxiously waiting to see who was coming.

"When I say, you start running. Okay?" the turtle instructed.

"What about you?" she asked nervously.

"I'd be a piss poor ninja if I couldn't hold my own in a fight. I'll be fine," he assured her with a smirk.

Irma nodded her head reluctantly as she squeezed his hand harder. They both looked ahead when the sound got closer. They could now make out the silhouettes of two people. Donnie let go of Irma's hand and prepared to defend himself. The two shadows stopped just ahead of them before one spoke.

"Donnie? What the hell are you doing out here?"

One of the figures stepped forward. Donnie instantly recognized the signature orange mask.

"Holy crap Mikey. You just scared the daylights out of me," Donnie said before he sighed in relief.

"Apologies pod brother. We did not intend to frighten your illumination away," Maya said as she too came out of the shadows.

"We've been looking all over for you guys," Irma said as she stepped forward.

Mikey gave them both a confused look before he asked, "Why did something happen?"

"You need to get back to the lair. It's important," Donnie explained sounding insistent.

Both Mikey and Maya looked at the purple masked turtle with nervous expressions before Mikey asked, "Is everybody okay?"

The orange masked turtle had a million thoughts running through his head. If Don was tracking him down, was the rest if his family hurt? A horrible feeling rose in his chest. If the lair was attacked after he left, then those horrible things he told his brothers would be the last thing he said to them. Before he could start panicking Donnie had his hands on his shoulders.

"Sorry Mikey, everybody is fine. We're just short on time so we need to move fast. We need you guys to come back," Donnie explained.

"I don't get it. If everybody is good then what's the rush?" Mikey asked.

Donnie gave his baby brother a thoughtful look before he replied, "We talked it over…we're going with your plan.

Mikey stared at his brother for a moment before he said, "Seriously?"

Donnie smiled before he said, "We don't like it Mikey, I'm not gonna lie but you were right…about a lot of things."

Mikey was about to speak before Donnie held up a hand before he added, "We gave it a lot of thought and we had to admit it was a solid strategy. Master Splinter wants you to lead the mission."

The orange masked turtle looked as though Donnie had grown a second head. Leading missions was Leo's thing, not his. It was one thing to go into Dimension X, leading a group of people into a dangerous mission is a whole different thing.

"D…"

"Mikey don't, You can do this. You proved that when you ripped us all a new one. Don't doubt yourself now," Donnie said in his 'don't argue with me' voice.

Mikey looked at his brother unsure before he turned to Maya. The mermaid smiled at her mate before she nodded her head.

The orange masked turtle smiled back at her before he turned back to Donnie.

"Alright let's do this."

…

When they got to the dojo, they could hear several voices muffling from inside. Donnie quickly pushed Mikey through the door before following him in. The minute they walked through all eyes turned to them. For a moment no one said a word as the crowd stared at the shocked turtle.

"Uh…hi," Mikey said.

"Impeccable timing my son," Splinter said as he approached his youngest child.

"You have their undivided attention," Splinter said quietly.

"That's a lot of people," Mikey whispered back.

"We are with you," Splinter replied before giving his son's arm a gentle squeeze.

Mikey took a deep breath before holding his hand out for Maya. The mermaid happily accepted his hand before they made their way to the front of the crowd.

When they got to the front the others were waiting for them. Seeing his family standing there having his back gave the turtle all the confidence he needed to do what he needed to do.

* * *

Sorry for the delay everyone. Don't forget to review!


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